


break me like a promise

by brightbolt, NSFWAdora



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018), She-Ra: Princess Of Power (1985)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Denial of Feelings, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Exes, F/F, F/M, Flashbacks, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Break Up, Slow Burn, exes au, inspired by a supercorp fic i read like four years ago, now they have to work together, they dated in college and then broke up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:34:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 66,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27268831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightbolt/pseuds/brightbolt, https://archiveofourown.org/users/NSFWAdora/pseuds/NSFWAdora
Summary: "As soon as she saw who the client was, her words died in her throat. Her drink slipped out of her hand a second later, but Catra couldn’t bring herself to care about the stain it would leave in the carpet.Across the table from her boss, wearing a perfectly-tailored suit that looked more expensive than most of Catra’s tuition payments, was Adora.As in, that Adora. The one Catra dated for all of college.The one that broke her heart four and a half weeks before graduation.The one that, according to what she’d said on the last day Catra had seen her, had fallen out of love with her."Or, six years ago, Adora and Catra were college students in love. Then, in one fateful meeting at a coffee shop, Adora broke Catra's heart.Now Catra's a junior partner at a law firm handling a patent dispute for Adora's family company. The two of them have to re-enter the other's life in an attempt for closure, catharsis, and connection.
Relationships: Adora & Bow & Glimmer (She-Ra), Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Catra & Scorpia (She-Ra)
Comments: 329
Kudos: 1650
Collections: dianatyrbo she-ra





	1. all too well

**Author's Note:**

> hi everyone! yes, you read the tags right: this is an exes au! the main story takes place in the present, though there are scenes that flash back to their college days. i'm having the time of my fucking life writing this and i cannot wait for you guys to see it all because let me tell you... it's gonna hurt. we're looking at between 4-6 chapters for it and honestly i have no fuckin idea how many it's gonna be <3 welcome to the ride
> 
> follow alex and i on tumblr @adorasheart and @brightbolts and come yell at us about it! we’re also on twitter @adoragayskull and @brightb0lts respectively. enjoy!
> 
> (fic title comes from taylor swift's all too well)

For the last three years, four months, two weeks, and four days, Catra’s morning routine had looked like this. 

She woke up at 7 (which, after a few presses of the snooze button, became 7:15), took a quick shower, and mobile-ordered her coffee from the Starbucks across the street. It was a busy one, and in the 25 minutes it would take for her drink to be made and waiting for her, she would get dressed, do her hair, and put on makeup if she felt like it. 

Catra would make a mental list of the things she needed — her keys, her wallet, and her phone, for example — and make sure they were all on her person somewhere before she left her apartment. 

She walked across the street, picked up her coffee, and gave a nod to Lonnie when she waved to her from behind the counter. Then Catra would pick up her pace and make her way to the subway station down the street.

After exactly five minutes and thirty-six seconds (she counted), Catra would get off at her stop. She’d push past the crowd of suits, five o’clock shadows, and hangovers and walk confidently into the lobby of the corporate law firm she’d been working at since her graduation from law school three years prior.

Catra still felt a glow of pride when she thought about being named valedictorian of her graduating class. As a first-generation student, most of the people she met at Harvard Law weren’t exactly her type. 

They had houses in the Hamptons and went to Europe on spring break. They wore cashmere sweaters and designer brands, they went boating, and they spoke with the kind of confidence only money could achieve.

Catra, meanwhile, had worked two minimum-wage jobs in addition to being a full-time student. While her peers were off on ski trips, she was studying her ass off to make sure her grades were good enough to keep her scholarship.

But all of it — all the work, all the stress, all the determination — had been worth it when the announcer had called her name that day. It had only been made better by the offers that flooded in overnight. And, if Catra was being honest, she’d made a few friends in Cambridge after all. 

One of those friends was Scorpia, who, as it turned out, had sent her a text the night before. When Catra checked her phone on the subway, she found herself smiling at the screen.

_Hey wildcat!! Miss you. I’m gonna be in Boston tonight - wanna get drinks?_

Catra thought about her schedule, trying to remember if she was open tonight. A quick look at her Google Calendar told her she was. 

_hell yeah_

_fright zone is still open. i’ll meet you there at 7?_

Scorpia wrote back seconds later. _I can’t wait :)_

The screeching of the train shook Catra out of her reverie, and she looked up to see her stop. 

Over the years, she had worked her way up to a small office — not much more than a cubicle, but with more privacy — on the third floor, and normally when she walked into it there would be a sticky note or a memo on her desk telling her if there was anything that needed to be done. 

Today, it read _Conference room six — emergency meeting_. 

Under that line was something that caught her attention. 

_You wanted a big one, right? It’s here._

Catra’s eyes widened a little reading it. In the three years, four months, two weeks, and four days — _five_ days, if you counted today — that she’d been working at the firm, she still hadn’t had her first big case. 

She had worked as an assistant on more than a few over the last few years, but they had been more minor roles. She had done them without complaint, of course, and made sure her work was the best her mentors had ever seen. 

It worked. As of two months ago, she became the youngest junior partner the firm had ever had. Her parents had sent her flowers when they found out, and Scorpia had called to congratulate her. It was an accomplishment, to be sure, but the fact that Catra still had nothing to call her own needled at her. She hoped it was coming soon.

Somewhere, in the very back of her brain, she remembered her time in undergrad. Back then, when she would talk to Adora about their future, she used to say—

Catra’s jaw tightened, and she had to fight not to crumple the piece of paper in her hands. 

She was having a good day. She wasn’t about to let old memories ruin it. 

Taking a deep breath, Catra gathered a notepad and a pen and walked down the hallway to the conference room. She could hear voices through it, no doubt apologizing to the client for the late notice, and chuckled to herself.

Catra pushed the door open, starting, “Sorry about the wait. You know, for such a big firm, you’d think we’d have better time management—” 

As soon as she saw who the client was, her words died in her throat. Her drink slipped out of her hand a second later, but Catra couldn’t bring herself to care about the stain it would leave in the carpet.

Across the table from her boss, wearing a perfectly-tailored suit that looked more expensive than most of Catra’s tuition payments, was Adora.

As in, _that_ Adora. 

The one Catra dated for all of college. 

The one that broke her heart four and a half weeks before graduation.

The one that, according to what she’d said on the last day Catra had seen her, had fallen out of love with her.

This Adora looked older. 

She _was_ older. Six years had passed, after all, and they showed themselves in the new lines on her face and the scattered strands of grey in her now-short blonde hair. When Catra knew her, it was usually tied back in ponytails or hanging around her face, but now it was cropped to just above her jaw. 

The blood drained from her face as soon as Catra walked in the room, and with the way her eyes went wide, it was hard not to imagine her choking on something. 

Catra opened her mouth to speak, but her boss beat her to it. “Oh, good!” He said, only barely interested. His eyes were locked on his phone screen. “This is Catra Horde, the one I was telling you about. Graduated top of her class at Harvard Law, you know. We’re lucky to have her. Catra, meet Adora Grayskull, CEO of—”

“Grayskull Industries,” Catra finished, her voice faint. “We’ve met.”

Her boss hummed in badly-hidden disinterest. “Great. Well, I’ll let you two talk about the specifics of the case. I have a meeting downtown to get to, so if you’ll excuse me.”

He stood up, pushing past her, and didn’t seem to realize the wet spot on the ground where the remnants of her latte were seeping out of the hole in the lid.

The door clicked shut, ringing like a bell through the air, and all Catra could do was stare dully at the woman at the other end of the room. 

An old, bitter coil of rage began to twist in her. 

It was a familiar one, though one she hadn’t touched in a few years. After their breakup, Catra thought she’d done a good job of moving on. She didn’t check Adora’s social media anymore, had the words _Grayskull Industries_ muted on her Twitter timeline, and had been in one or two half-successful relationships since. 

But as she stared at where Adora sat across the table, all Catra could remember was the last time they’d spoken. 

It was seared into the back of her mind even now. 

Catra remembered everything: the sun glaring through the windows of the coffee shop, the way Catra’s drink had burned her tongue, the way Adora wouldn’t meet her eyes. All of it was branded in her mind like a still-raw wound. 

Adora _still_ wouldn’t meet her eyes, and was instead staring at some hidden spot on the wall behind her. 

Her knee was bouncing. It had always been a nervous habit for her, back when they were teenagers studying for midterms and finals and last-minute quizzes. If Adora was _really_ nervous, she’d start tapping her fingers on the table.

Catra hated that she remembered that.

Neither of them spoke for a long time, but when Catra did, her words came out raw and bloody. 

“What the fuck are you doing here?” 

Adora’s response was instant, like a coiled spring waiting to release tension. “I’m sorry, Cat, I-I didn’t know—”

“Don’t you fucking _dare_ call me that,” Catra interrupted. “Don’t you dare. What, you—you think that after six years of radio silence and heartbreak that you can come into my fucking law firm and—and expect me to let you call me a fucking _nickname_?”

As her face contorted in pain, Adora’s eyes closed. “I— you’re right,” She said. The hand resting on the table began to tap out a rapid, staccato beat. “I’m sorry. I-I really didn’t know you worked here, or I would’ve—”

“Get out.” Catra heard how strained her voice was and took in a deep, furious breath. “Get the fuck out.”

“Catra, please, just hear me out—”

“No.” Catra took in a series of shallow, shaky breaths, feeling her anger boiling in her stomach. “No, you don’t get to ask _anything_ of me. Understand?”

Adora squeezed her eyes shut again. “I know I’ve earned this. I-I’m not gonna argue with that, but I—” She let out a sharp, shaky exhale. “This is one of the best firms in the city. My company needs this case, and I-I’ll pay you double what you’d normally make on the job.”

The fury in the pit of Catra’s stomach had begun to spread to the rest of her, and her hands shook where they were clenched tight by her sides. “I don’t want anything to do with you or that _fucking_ company.”

“Yeah. I don’t blame you,” Adora said quietly, looking at the ground. “Just— please. I’m not going to ask you to do this for me, but if it’s going to be your first real case…” At the rage in Catra’s face, she trailed off. “All I’m asking is that you think it over.” 

Catra hated that she was considering it. 

A small, traitorous voice in her mind reminded her that, given what she saw in the document her boss had left on her desk, it didn’t sound like a particularly complicated case. 

If she got the ruling they wanted and did it well, it would have huge implications for her career. 

She just didn’t know if she could deal with seeing Adora again. Especially this version, all business trips and expensive clothes.

Catra blinked a few times, wiping away the tears that had slid down her face. Her nose was running, too. She was glad she hadn’t put on makeup today. “No promises,” She said after a long pause. “I’m gonna talk it over with my boss. Please, Adora, just— leave me alone.”

Adora still wouldn’t meet her eyes, but she nodded. “Alright. Um. I-I’ll leave my office’s phone number for when you decide, okay?”

“Sure.” It was hard to put so much anger, weariness, and history into a single word, but Catra managed. It rang hollow in Adora’s mind as she moved silently towards the door. 

Catra did her best not to breathe in as she walked by, but her body betrayed her. 

It was the same cologne Adora wore in college, she realized. That meant that even now, as one of the richest people in the country — and probably the world — she still bought her cologne from Target. 

For some reason, that made tears well up in her eyes all over again. 

The smell of that particular brand still sent memories surging through Catra’s head, and every time she caught it on the subway, in a store, or on the street, she had to fight the urge to look around. Instead, she would keep her head down and turn her music up. 

Catra tried very hard to stop the memories from coming back one by one — their first date, their first kiss, even the first day they met — but it was hard when they all ended with the same scene: a coffee shop, a burned tongue, and a partner who wouldn’t look her in the eyes.

Her ears started ringing, and somewhere beyond it she could hear the airy, faint sound of a piano playing an all-too-familiar song.

She was faintly aware of the door opening behind her, and heard one of her coworkers asking if she was okay. 

It sounded distorted, as if she was hearing it through water or from a long distance away, but she nodded her head in what felt like slow motion. 

“Yeah,” Catra said, not recognizing the sound of her voice. “I’m fine. Just, um. Remembering a bad dream.”

*** * ***

**__** _TEN YEARS EARLIER._

So far, move-in day had been about as overwhelming as Adora expected it to be. 

There were parents everywhere, half of whom were crying while the other half worried about where to park, and most families were completed by exasperated 18-year olds and disinterested younger siblings. 

Adora was almost grateful that she was alone. 

Her own parents were engaged in a board meeting on the other side of the country, but she suspected they wouldn’t have come even if they were free. As they told her all throughout her childhood, they weren’t that kind of family. 

Maybe _alone_ was the wrong word. Adora had been accompanied by a few of her parents’ employees to help her carry everything up, and she’d never had a problem being on her own. A childhood removed from both her parents and other kids her age made sure of that. 

She liked it, honestly. The quiet made things easier to manage. 

The trip was easy and painless enough, though her parents’ employees had left the moment the truck was empty.

Now, Adora supposed she _was_ well and truly alone in the single room her parents were paying top dollar for. In their words, Adora needed to _focus on studying, not the whims of a stranger_. 

She wasn’t quite sure what to do next.

She’d already unpacked her boxes, and had set up the small fridge and coffee maker she wasn’t allowed to have. 

She’d hung a small pennant on the wall above her desk, arranged her pens and pencils and rulers and erasers exactly as she wanted them, and was currently filling out her planner with events to come for the following week. 

Still, when someone poked their head in her doorway, Adora found herself grateful for the distraction. 

Everything about the girl standing in front of her was short. 

Her hair, so brown it was almost black, was spiky in a way only layers of product could achieve, and the sleeves of what had once been an old band shirt had been ripped off to make a tank top. Her shorts were cropped near the thigh. Even her shoes were low-tops. 

All of that helped distract Adora from the fact that whoever this girl was, she was probably the most beautiful person Adora had ever seen. 

“Hey,” The girl said, giving her a small wave. “I’m your neighbor. Catra Horde.”

“Your eyes are different colors,” Adora blurted. When the girl— when _Catra_ blinked in surprise, she realized with a stab of embarrassment what a terrible, absolutely _idiotic_ response that had been, and rushed, “S-Sorry. Um. That’s weird. I-I’m Adora.”

“Hey, Adora,” Catra said, trying to keep a smile from spreading on her face. “Um. Your eyes are the same color.”

Adora closed her eyes, hoping her blush wasn’t too visible. “Yeah. Can we just— can we forget that happened?”

“Yes,” Catra said. “On one condition.”

“Name it.”

Catra narrowed her eyes in satisfaction. “I need you to help me build a cabinet.”

Whatever Adora had been expecting, that wasn’t it. “I— what?”

“It’s a long story,” Catra said, stepping into Adora’s room and flopping down onto the chair in the corner. Adora didn’t remember inviting her in, but she wasn’t about to bring it up. 

“I’m the first in my family to go to college, and my parents are making a _huge_ deal out of it, and they bought me this IKEA cabinet that none of them want to help me build. So here I am.” Catra looked her up and down, eyes lingering on her shoulders and arms, and Adora shifted in her seat a little at the scrutiny. “I mean, you—you look pretty strong.”

“Oh,” Adora said, unsure of how else to respond. “Um. Thanks.”

“So, are you in?”

 _Fuck it,_ Adora thought. “Yeah, I-I can help you.” At Catra’s grin, she continued, “It’s a cabinet. How hard can it be?”

Considering it took them almost three hours, the answer was _very_ hard. 

Adora’s hair had fallen out of the neat ponytail she always kept it in, and it hung around her face. Pushing it back out of the way, she put her head in her hands and groaned. “We’re students at one of the best schools in the world, and it took us two and a half hours to build one stupid cabinet.”

Catra was frowning at the instructions, and flipped them upside down before letting out a sigh. “You think they’ll kick us out for it?”

“I hope not,” Adora said, shaking her head a little. “I mean, we got there eventually, right?”

“Hell yeah, we did.” Catra held up her fist in a clear invitation, and after a brief pause Adora brought her own up to tap gently against it. “Hey, at least we missed the rush outside. You wanna grab a bite to eat? My treat.”

“Oh, you don’t have to—” Adora started, but Catra wouldn’t be deterred so easily.

“Come on,” Catra said. “I mean, if you’re gonna lose your mind over a cabinet, you might as well get a meal out of it.” She stood up and straightened her back, groaning at the feeling of stretching after hours of slumping over a piece of paper. “Are you coming?” She offered a hand to help Adora up.

Adora thought about it for a second. It wasn’t something her parents would approve of, considering they’d told her expressly that her schoolwork came first and that personal attachments weren’t why she was at an Ivy League.

Then again, one trip to McDonald’s wouldn’t kill her, and her parents weren’t there to berate her.

The fairy lights above Catra’s head made her eyes sparkle blue and gold. If that had anything to do with her decision, that was no one’s business but Adora’s.

She made up her mind in a second. Hesitantly, she took Catra’s hand and pulled herself up. 

“Yeah,” Adora said. “Lead the way.”

*** * ***

When Adora found herself heading to downtown Boston to take care of the company’s case in person, she had expected nothing more than a boring meeting and traffic.

Seeing Catra was a nasty, brutal shock, but watching Catra see _her_ had been ten times worse.

Part of Adora knew she had no right to be as torn up about the situation as she was, especially considering that she was the one that ended things between them all those years ago.

It didn’t make it any easier. All Adora could think about was how she could look so different and still be exactly the same. Catra’s hair was long again, tied back in a ponytail to keep it out of her face, but the look on her face when she saw Adora was the same one she’d given her in the shop six years before.

If Adora had to label it, she would have called it complete and utter betrayal. 

Her lips curled up in anger the same way they had during their fights, and she’d watched Adora tap her fingers on the desk the same way she did for all of their college years.

Adora was almost grateful when Catra told her to get the fuck out. 

She still wore the same perfume, Adora realized. She’d gotten a whiff of it when she walked by on her way out, and it lingered with her the entire ride away from the law firm. 

Adora decided as soon as she stepped out of the door, head spinning with memories and hands still shaking, that she couldn’t go back to work. So she did something she hadn’t done during her entire career with the company.

She took a personal day.

Thirteen minutes later, she was in the elevator up to her penthouse. Thirteen and a half minutes later, she was downing a glass of whiskey for the first time in two years.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and Adora took it out to see a text from Bow. 

_Hey, your secretary said you were taking a personal day. Is everything alright?_

Below it was a text from Glimmer.

_Uh Bow said you’re taking a ‘personal day’?? What the fuck happened???_

Adora sent the same thing to both of them before turning off her phone. 

_Catra’s my lawyer._

When Bow and Glimmer arrived at her house two hours and seven missed calls later, they found a bottle of whiskey resting on the kitchen counter. It had fallen down on its side, and if there had been anything left in it, it would have been leaking all over the floor.

The two of them shared a look. 

Glimmer stepped forward first, putting her purse down on one of the still brand-new leather stools sitting at the breakfast bar. “Adora?” She called hesitantly, looking around the room. 

There was no response.

Bow let out a small noise of concern. “Shit. That’s not good.”

“She hasn’t done this in a while,” Glimmer said, shaking her head. “I mean… not since everything that happened a few years ago, if we’re being honest. It’s _definitely_ not good.”

“Has Catra texted you yet?” Bow asked, peering into the pristine living room. 

“Nope. She stopped reaching out a couple years back, and now we pretty much just talk to each other on the other person’s birthday.” Glimmer let out a quiet sigh, putting a hand on Bow’s arm. “This is bad, Bow. I mean, with how they ended things—”

“It was a long time ago,” Bow said quietly. He put a hand on Glimmer’s and squeezed lightly. “Maybe this is a good thing. It’s been half a decade, right? Maybe they’ll have the chance to work through it now.”

Glimmer nodded hesitantly, turning into the hallway. “Maybe. I just… I don’t want to see either of them hurt again.”

Looking down the hallway, Adora’s door was ajar. Bow let out a quiet sigh and turned to her. “It might be too late for that.”

Glimmer poked her head into the doorway hesitantly to see Adora curled up in the fetal position on her bed. 

Her normally-crisp suit jacket was slung over the back of a chair, and looked as though it was about to slide off onto the floor. Her shoes were discarded, too, leaving her in a half-untucked dress shirt and wrinkled pants. 

There was a mostly-empty glass on her bedside table with the dregs of whiskey gathered at the bottom. 

The room was silent but for the sound of quiet sniffling and Adora’s ceiling fan spinning slow circles above her. 

Careful not to startle her, Glimmer walked over to Adora and put a hand on her shoulder. That’s when she noticed that Adora wasn’t just curled up, she was curled _around_ something. 

All she could see was a strip of red fabric, pressed to Adora’s chest and the lower half of her face. It was stained with tears. 

“Sorry it took us so long,” Glimmer said in a low, quiet voice. She started rubbing gently at Adora’s shoulder. “Bow was in a meeting with the school district about—” Looking over at him, Glimmer saw him shake his head a little and cut herself off. She nodded in understanding. “Well, sorry it took us so long.”

“‘S fine,” Adora breathed. “Thanks for coming.”

Bow came up next to them. “We were thinking about ordering some food and maybe watching a movie with you. Does that… sound okay?” 

Adora sucked in a shuddering breath. “Y’don’t have to do that.”

“Have you eaten today?” Glimmer asked, raising an eyebrow.

“...No,” Adora mumbled, wiping her nose with her shirtsleeve. 

“Then we do.” Glimmer looked back at Bow and mouthed _tea_. He nodded, dipping into the kitchen to put a kettle on the stove. “Come on,” Glimmer said, tugging gently at her arm. “Let’s get you out of these clothes.”

With a slow nod, Adora sat up. Her eyes had long since adjusted to the dim light, but when Glimmer flicked on her bedside lamp, she frowned at the sudden harshness of it. She didn’t have to look into a mirror to see that she was a goddamn mess. 

Adora could feel the tear tracks on her face, and knew that her eyes were bleary and red from crying and unfocused from the alcohol. Her nose was still running. Reaching a hand over to her bedside table, she fumbled for a tissue that Glimmer ended up passing to her. 

As she sat up, she uncurled herself. Glimmer looked down to see a red-and-black scarf in her hands.

It was old, and had started to fray at the edges. If the careful, meticulous stitchwork was anything to go by, it was made with impeccable skill and attention to detail. Something about it was familiar, though Glimmer couldn’t place it, and Adora’s hands shook where she held it. 

She wouldn’t look at it. Instead, her eyes were fixed on the ground ahead, as if in shame. “Hey,” Glimmer said softly. “Look at me, Adora. You’re not gonna be alone tonight. Bow and I are here for you.”

Bow took that as his cue to come inside, and sat down next to Adora. He put an arm around her shoulders. “Glimmer’s right. We’re here for you tonight, okay? There’s a kettle heating up on the stove. I’m gonna make us some tea.”

Adora nodded jerkily. “Y-Yeah,” She said, voice hoarse after the hours of crying and drinking she’d done. “Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank us,” Bow said, putting a hand on hers. 

As gently as she could, Glimmer added, “But you _do_ have to change your clothes. I’m gonna grab some sweats for you, and Bow and I will order some food while you’re putting them on.”

Adora nodded a little, closing her eyes. “Okay. Just— not Thai, okay? I-I can’t—” Her jaw tightened for a second, and she wiped away a stray tear. “Not tonight.”

Glimmer understood. In college, the four of them — Adora, Catra, Bow, and Glimmer, that is — had been to every Thai restaurant in a fifty-mile radius. They had an entire spreadsheet ranking which dishes were best at which place, and by the end of their last year they were regulars at nearly all of them.

It was Catra’s favorite.

It became Adora’s favorite, too. She had been avoiding it for nearly six years.

So Glimmer found a greasy-spoon diner a few blocks away that delivered, and ordered from there instead. By the time it got to Adora’s apartment — the delivery person looked scared shitless from the elevator ride up to the penthouse, and Glimmer made sure to leave a big tip — she had regained some of the life in her eyes.

When Glimmer asked in a quiet voice who the scarf belonged to, her jaw tightened in pain. “It, um. I-I gave it to Catra during our first Christmas together, and she left it at my apartment a few months before we—” Glimmer felt her heart break at the crack in Adora’s voice. “Sometimes, it—it still smells like her.”

Glimmer remembered that Christmas. It had been their first one as friends, and had technically happened a few days before the actual day. She smiled at the memory out of reflex, remembering how Catra’s eyes had shone when she held the scarf for the first time. 

She’d put it on almost immediately.

Now, it stayed in Adora’s hands for almost the whole night.

* * *

_TEN YEARS EARLIER._

Even after months of living there, Catra still wasn’t used to New England’s weather. 

To be fair, she _had_ grown up in LA. Her idea of cold weather tended to hover around sixty degrees. 

Early on, she’d realized that she would need a few essentials to survive. She’d bought boots first, and had gotten them on sale during the summer just to make sure she had them ready for the winter months. 

The jacket she’d bought had hurt her bank account more — long story short, she’d overestimated her natural tolerance for cold and had gone through four by the time she found the winner — but Catra had managed to find one that kept her warm even on the coldest of days. 

Privately, Catra wasn’t too worried about the rest. 

A few weeks back, Glimmer — the short, feisty biomedical engineering major that lived across the hall — had proposed an idea that Catra was going to use to her full advantage: a Secret Santa. 

Ever since move-in day, Catra and Adora had been nearly inseparable. The two of them met Glimmer a few days later, and had then formed a moderately-successful friend group with Bow, who lived in a triple down the hall. 

They’d met him in their first week, when Glimmer’s fridge had broken. Out of nowhere, Bow had appeared with a toolkit and fixed it within twenty minutes. She gave him a can of Diet Coke as a thank-you, and he’d ended up staying over to watch a movie in her dorm. 

The two of them had gotten close in the last few months. It was a good friendship: Bow was afraid of needles, so Glimmer helped him with his T shots, and something in Glimmer’s dorm always seemed to be in need of repair.

Four wasn’t an ideal number for Secret Santa, but Catra wasn’t complaining. Honestly, she was just glad she’d made some friends. 

They actually got around to setting it up a few weeks before their first final. 

The four of them were in Adora’s dorm pretending to study when Glimmer slammed her chemistry textbook shut with a groan. “Okay, can we _please_ do something else? I swear, if I read _one_ more sentence about subatomic particles, I’m going to burn this dorm building down.”

“Down,” Catra said instantly, taking the opportunity to switch out of the court case she had been reading through. “Have anything in mind, Sparkles?”

“Actually, I do.” Glimmer raised an eyebrow, giving all of them a devious smirk. “Now that I have you all here— Adora, close your fucking computer.”

“One sec.” Adora’s eyes flicked across the screen, and she saved the Excel spreadsheet she’d been working on. “Alright, I’m good. What were you saying?”

“Now that I have you all here, we can _finally_ get Secret Santa figured out.” Glimmer leaned across Adora’s bed to grab a hat sitting on her desk. “I have all of our names written down. We’re all gonna pick one.” 

Catra couldn’t stop herself from asking, “What happens if I draw my own name?”

Glimmer rolled her eyes. “If you get your own, we start over. Got it?”

Bow nodded, yawning a little as he made a final note about the psych reading he’d been doing. “Just to be clear, what’s our price limit?”

“$20?” Adora suggested.

“Twenty’s fine,” Glimmer nodded. From her pocket, she pulled out four slips of paper that had clearly been prepared hours before. 

She dropped them into Adora’s hat and shook until they were adequately mixed up, then passed it to Bow where he was sitting next to her. “Eyes closed.”

Bow obliged, and drew a name. He read it once, trying (and failing) to contain his excitement at whoever it was, and put it in his pocket. “Got it.”

Next was Adora, who rolled her eyes good-naturedly at how seriously Glimmer was taking the whole thing before closing her eyes and drawing a name. Whatever it was, it wasn’t a surprise, and Catra watched the left side of her jaw tighten a little before she nodded. 

Catra really should’ve expected that she would draw Adora’s name. Given the amount of time they spent together and the amount that Catra thought about her, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise.

And yet it did. 

Reading _Adora Grayskull_ written in Glimmer’s half-illegible handwriting made Catra’s heart flutter in her chest for a moment. She must have stared at it for longer than necessary, because Glimmer asked her a question that she didn’t hear.

“Wh— sorry, what?” Catra asked, blinking. 

“I asked if you were okay,” Glimmer repeated. “You went all bug-eyed for a second.”

Adora was looking at her in a mix of concern and confusion, and the softness of her face almost made Catra blush. “Uh, yeah. Yeah, I-I’m all good. Just tired,” She said, hoping it was convincing enough to pass for true.

It was enough to satisfy Glimmer, and she drew the last name with a small smile. “Looks like we have our assignments, guys. We’ll exchange three weeks from today.”

“Hey, speaking of assignments,” Bow said, yawning again, “I’m not gonna last much longer. I think I’m gonna go take a nap in my—” He stopped short mid-sentence and groaned. “Oh, _fuck_. I forgot Sea Hawk sexiled me earlier.”

Without hesitating, Glimmer said, “You can take a nap in my room.” At Bow’s surprised look, she continued, “But _only_ if you take your binder off. You’ve been wearing it all day.”

Catra and Adora shot each other a look that the other two missed. 

“Oh,” Bow said, blinking. “Yeah. Um. Is that okay with you?”

“Totally. Yeah. Come on, I-I’ll let you in.”

As soon as they were out the door, Catra turned to Adora. “How long do you think it’ll take them to bone?”

“Oh, years,” Adora said without hesitation. “The two of them are both _way_ too repressed for that.”

Catra smiled the way she always did when Adora made a joke. It was big, it was bright, and it was real. After a second, she asked, “So who’d you get?”

For some reason, Adora’s face turned red. “Oh. Um, you know. Nobody.”

“You picked nobody?”

“Yep,” Adora said, popping the _p_. “And it’s against the rules to tell each other—”

“Against the rules of _Secret Santa?_ What are you, four? Come on,” Catra said, rolling her eyes. From her position on Adora’s bed, she scooted close enough to stretch her legs out and rest them on Adora’s lap. 

Adora’s eyes flicked down to where their bodies were touching and swallowed. “Uh, it’s— I got Glimmer.”

“Liar.”

Adora just shrugged. Clearing her throat, she said, “You’ll find out eventually.”

One of Catra’s least favorite things about Adora was how cold she kept her room, and she had to fight a shiver when a gust of air blew in through the crack in the window. “Have any ideas?”

“Yeah,” Adora said, giving her a small nod. “Yeah, I have a few.”

The weeks passed slower than Catra was expecting them to, especially given the amount of work she did in them. Part of her was just surprised she was still alive: between the perpetual darkness, the workload, and her family’s constant _we miss you_ and _come home soon_ texts, it was hard to stay afloat half the time.

She spent more than half of her free time with Adora just to be close to her. Catra wasn’t sure of the specifics of Adora’s home life, because she didn’t talk about it much, but Catra had interrupted enough phone conversations with her father to get a general idea of what going home would be like for her. 

Being with her was… nice. It helped both of them feel a little less alone, and they got to know each other better in the process.

Catra was never one for spending money on gifts, and decided early on that she was going to get Adora something money couldn’t buy.

In the end, she landed on one of the screws left over from their first meeting. They’d never quite been able to figure out what to do with it, since there were no instructions that included it, and it had been rolling around in Catra’s desk drawer for nearly four months. 

It wasn’t much, she knew, but it was enough. She figured Adora would see it for what it was: a good memory.

Catra had never been very good at wrapping presents, but she gave it her best attempt. She showed up to their exchange night — which ended up being the day of her last final — with a small, carefully-wrapped box. 

The package in Adora’s hands was long and flat, reminding Catra of the boxes her aunts always gave sweaters in. It was neatly wrapped, with a red bow in one corner. 

Bow held a gift bag with pink and purple tissue paper sticking out of the top. Glimmer, who had been complaining for days about how bad she was at wrapping gifts, was holding her present behind her back. 

After they’d said their greetings, Glimmer made eye contact with them one by one. “Okay, guys. Give your present to your person on the count of three—”

“On three or after three?” Bow asked, trying to keep a straight face.

Glimmer rolled her eyes. “ _On_ three. One, two, three!”

As expected, Bow turned to Glimmer. Catra found it hard to keep her smile hidden when Adora turned to her. 

Catra offered up her box. “Surprise,” She said. “Merry Christmas.”

The grin Adora gave her was so big it made her eyes nearly disappear. “It was killing me keeping this from you, y’know.”

“Of course I know. You’re a terrible liar.”

“I have my moments,” Adora said. “Here.” In return for Catra’s package, Adora handed her the box she was holding. “Should I open mine first?”

At Catra’s nod, Adora began to deftly undo her wrapping. Catra tried to tamp down the butterflies in her stomach when Adora opened the small cardboard box for the first time. 

When Adora just stared at the contents, her grin sliding slowly off her face, Catra couldn’t stop herself from saying, “Look, I-I know it’s not much, but—”

“It’s perfect,” Adora said quietly. She smiled again, but it was softer this time. There was a gleam of something in her eyes that Catra couldn’t place. “From the cabinet, right? I recognize it.”

Catra nodded, fighting a blush. “Yeah, just… y’know. I thought it’d be nice. From our first time meeting each other, and all.”

“I love it,” Adora said, and meant it. “Thank you, Catra.”

There was a softness to her voice that Catra had never heard in her— in _anyone_ before, and it made her eyes widen a little. After a moment, Adora nodded to her. “Alright, your turn.”

Adora’s wrapping skills were just as precise as everything else about her, and Catra was careful not to tear the paper as she took it off. 

Sure enough, she found herself faced with a smooth white box. “Oh my god, a box?” She asked, smiling as Adora rolled her eyes. “You shouldn’t have.”

“Don’t be a dick,” Adora said, grinning at her. “Come on. Open it.”

When Catra finally did, she let out a sharp exhale at the sight before her. There, folded and tucked neatly into red tissue paper, was a beautiful black-and-red scarf. 

Catra had only felt real cashmere a few times in her life, but she knew without a doubt that the fabric under her fingers, soft and warm and strong all at once, was the real thing. 

She _also_ knew without a doubt that Adora had far exceeded the $20 limit they’d set. “This— Adora, I-I can’t—”

“Take it,” Adora said quietly, watching her face with a small smile. “Please. I-I know you’ve been cold, and you really can’t survive a New England winter without a good hat and a good scarf, so…”

Catra just stared at her. “I got you a _screw_.”

“And I love it,” Adora said easily. “We got each other the things we need. I gave you a good scarf, and you gave me a piece of you to take home.”

Catra couldn’t think of a response that wouldn’t end with them kissing, and she was almost grateful when Glimmer loudly cleared her throat. 

“Bow got me a confetti cannon filled with glitter, if anyone was wondering,” She said, eyes flicking between the two of them.

Bow was also watching them, and when Glimmer gently smacked his arm, he remembered to speak. “And Glimmer gave me a hat that her dad hand-knitted. And, honestly, his stitchwork is really good,” He said, lifting it up to admire it again. “What’d you guys get each other?”

“Catra gave me a memory of our first time meeting each other,” Adora said, holding up the screw proudly. 

“And Adora got me a scarf.” Catra wrapped it around her shoulders, feeling the wool soft and warm against her neck. “You think it’ll make me any less cold?”

Adora gave her a grin. “No,” She said. “But I think it’ll be a good start.”

*** * ***

Catra had been on autopilot all day. 

After seeing Adora, she could barely get through her work day — ignoring the pile of information about the patent Grayskull was suing over that sat on the corner of her desk — without breaking three of the paperweights on her desk. 

Memories that she’d thought she’d been able to repress had been pinging in her brain all day. Some of them were bad — their fights, their bad days, and Adora’s parents — and some were good. _Most_ were good, in fact, which was the worst thing. 

Catra had tried so hard for so long to hate Adora for what she’d done, and had done an excellent job convincing herself that it was true. It was hard to maintain that when all she could think about was Adora playing piano for her, giving her gifts, and making her dinner. 

Good or bad, they always ended the same. 

_Coffee shop. Burnt tongue. Closed eyes._

Those were the words Catra repeated to herself over and over again at her desk, during her lunch break, and on the bus home from work. 

When her phone buzzed with a text from Scorpia asking if she was still good for drinks, Catra was a hair’s breadth away from saying no. 

Then Catra remembered what she was going home to. A mostly-empty apartment, piles of dishes in the sink, and deafening silence. Melog — her fat, beloved boy cat — would help her feel better, she knew, but he couldn’t be the only one. 

So after a few seconds’ thought, Catra typed back a response. 

_yeah! on my way now_

When Scorpia’s response — a long, joyful string of emojis — came in a second later, she found herself smiling for the first time all day. 

The bar they met at — a perpetually Halloween-themed drag bar called _The Fright Zone_ — was a comfort in and of itself.

When they met in law school, Catra had never heard of it, and was more than a little surprised the first time Scorpia brought her there. 

Apparently, it used to be where her family’s business was before they moved away. Scorpia decided to visit on a whim when she first came back to Massachusetts, and fell in love instantly. 

Catra had, too. It became something of a safe haven for her even after her graduation from law school. She recalled many, _many_ long nights spent poring over case files with one of the bar’s signature $2 mugs of beer next to her. 

Scorpia beat her there, of course. She always did. Her version of _meeting at 7_ meant arriving at 6:45, while Catra was usually closer to 7:30. 

She was leaning over the bar talking to the bartender about something on her phone when Catra walked in. “Hey, there you are!” Scorpia said, giving her a massive grin. “I was starting to— whoa, are you okay?”

Catra blinked, and remembered she probably looked like she’d seen a ghost. “Yeah,” She said, forcing a smile onto her face. “Just had a weird day.”

“You wanna tell me about it?” Scorpia asked, sliding her a copper mug. “I ordered you a Moscow Mule. I figured it was still your favorite.”

Catra took a sip of it, closing her eyes in satisfaction at the taste of ginger beer and vodka. “You figured right.” She took a deep breath, trying to find the words to tell Scorpia what had happened. “If we’re gonna talk about this, I’m gonna need another drink.”

They talked about nonsense for a few moments, settling back into the easy rhythm they were used to until the minutes began to pass easier. When her first mug was empty and the second sat before her, Catra let out a small sigh. “Alright, do you remember what I was like when you first met me?”

“You were angry, cold, and emotionally wrecked,” Scorpia said. “And you were still the best student in our class.”

“Yeah, well… God, this is hard to say,” Catra said, closing her eyes. “The person that— my _ex_ , I-I—” 

“Spit it out, wildcat.”

“She’s my client.” Catra let out a soft groan, putting her head in her hands. “I have to represent her and her company, and I-I don’t know how to _do_ that without wanting to gouge her stupid, beautiful blue eyes out.”

If she had been looking, she would’ve seen Scorpia frown a little in confusion. “Okay, so, it sounds like there’s some unresolved stuff going on there.”

“Yeah, you don’t know the fucking _half_ of it.” Catra shook her head. “Anyway, my boss wants me to take it, but I’m gonna talk to him tomorrow about getting reassigned—”

“Hang on,” Scorpia interrupted. “When you say _you_ have to represent her, you mean… _you_ you? Like, it would be _your_ case?”

This was a trap. Catra _knew_ it was a trap, but she wasn’t sure why. She narrowed her eyes. “...Yes.”

“Your _first_ case?”

“That’s the one.”

Scorpia narrowed her eyes. “Just to be clear, this would be the firstbig case that you’ve been looking forward to since the second you started law school?”

“Scorpia, get to the point.”

Putting her hands up in surrender, Scorpia shrugged. “I’m just saying! This is something you’ve waited for for _years_ , Catra. And now that it’s here, I don’t think you should let the person you’re representing ruin it.”

Catra scoffed, eyes widening. “Scorpia, she broke my heart.”

“Six years ago, she did,” Scorpia nodded. “But both of you are different people now, and it’s _not fair_ that she gets to ruin this for you.” She put a hand on Catra’s where it was resting on the table. “You’ve worked so hard for so long to be able to do this. You’re a freakin’ _junior partner_.”

“I am,” Catra grumbled, looking at their hands.

“You’re a kick-ass lawyer and the smartest person I’ve ever met.” Scorpia raised her eyebrows. “It sounds like she’s screwed up enough of your life. I don’t think you should let her do it again.”

Catra let out a sigh and took another sip of her drink. As much as she wanted to dismiss her, Scorpia had a point. She had spent the last three and a half years waiting for this. Now that the opportunity was here, it felt like a waste to let it go just because of the client it came attached to.

Groaning, Catra said, “Goddamn it. I hate it when you’re right.”

Scorpia raised her glass, bringing it to her mouth. “And who _is_ this client, anyway?” She asked, taking a sip of her drink. 

“Adora Grayskull.”

Scorpia choked on her beer. 

Her eyes bugged practically out of head as she repeated, “Adora _Grayskull_? Like, the CEO of Grayskull Industries.”

A flicker of annoyance made Catra roll her eyes. “This is why I stopped telling people her name.”

“Yeah, but Catra, I—” Scorpia blinked. “I mean, she’s done a _ton_ of stuff to—”

“I have the company’s name muted on social media for a reason, Scorpia.” Catra took a sip of her drink and shook her head a little. “Trust me, I don’t want to know.”

Scorpia looked like there was more she wanted to say, but she had always been good about respecting Catra’s wishes. “Maybe she’ll tell you herself, then. Um. Wow, I-I gotta say, I was _not_ expecting that.”

“Can we be done talking about this?” Catra said, rubbing at the lines on her forehead. “Tell me about your teaching gig.”

Scorpia’s eyes lit up the way she always did when she got the chance to talk about her work, and started rattling off stories about her first freshmen class, due dates, and research assistants. 

This was Catra’s favorite part about spending time with her. Scorpia had always been a talker, and Catra knew that if she let her keep going, she could spend the rest of the night listening instead of having to think about her own problems. Just for a moment, it felt like the tight ball of nerves in her stomach could ease.

Two hours and a few more drinks later, the two of them parted ways. Scorpia had a flight to catch early the next morning before she left for California again, and Catra’s job demanded more and more of her time with every passing day. 

Catra made her way back to her apartment easily, taking in the lights and sounds of the city as she did. Boston always seemed more beautiful at night, she thought. Something about it was clean in a way New York and Los Angeles weren’t. She figured the winters were a small price to pay for it.

As soon as she unlocked her apartment door, she heard a _mrrp_ from the kitchen. Looking over, she saw Melog sitting there expectantly, swishing his tail as he blinked slowly at her. 

Catra couldn’t help but smile at him.

He was a far cry from the skinny, flea-ridden creature she and Adora had found in the dumpster behind their apartment building, and had gotten fat and spoiled in the years since. 

He was waiting for his food, which was noticeably absent in the stainless steel dish Catra kept out for him, and she rolled her eyes a little. “Not even a hello, huh? You just want your food?”

Melog blinked lazily at her before yawning. As soon as his mouth was closed again, he let out a small — but insistent — meow, as if repeating himself. 

“Fine,” Catra said, reaching up to pour in a bit of kibble for him. “Here you are, your majesty.”

Leaning against the counter with her arms crossed, Catra watched him eat with a smile. That was one of the nice things about living alone with him: no matter how hard of a day it had been, he always made her feel better. He annoyed the shit out of her most nights, too, but Catra could forgive that.

The relative silence of the apartment settled around her, and Catra couldn’t stop Scorpia’s words from echoing in her head again. 

_She’s screwed up enough of your life. I don’t think you should let her do it again._

Catra closed her eyes and thought of four years of blonde hair and blue eyes, then of the six that followed it. She thought about the work she’d buried herself in, the success she’d fought tooth and nail for, and the partnership that would be headed her way if she pulled this case — and every one that followed — off correctly.

Before she went to bed that night, while Melog purred in a warm, puffy circle under the covers next to her, Catra made up her mind.

Even as she drifted off to sleep, her phone glowed with the directions to Grayskull Industries’ corporate office.

*** * ***

It had been a long night. 

Not all of it was bad, of course — Bow and Glimmer had made sure of that — but those were the parts that stuck.

Waking up at four in the morning to throw up in her bathtub had been a low point, admittedly, and going to sleep clutching Catra’s scarf wasn’t much better.

The hangover was probably the worst part. 

Glimmer and Bow had left around 11pm the night before, feeling more secure in Adora’s ability to make it through the night, and both had texted her in the morning asking if she was doing any better. The buzzing of her phone made her flinch both times, and the light seeping into her apartment didn’t help. 

It wouldn’t have been as bad if this had happened a few years prior. Back then, her tolerance was far beyond what it had dwindled down to, and one drink often turned into ten without many repercussions. That wasn’t true anymore.

But at least she’d made it to work. 

Her office was a comfort to her in ways her apartment wasn’t. When Adora thought about the amount of time she’d spent in both, she realized quickly that the soft, brown leather couch in her office was a more familiar bed than the California king in her penthouse. 

It was a large, open area on the top floor of the Grayskull building, and the walls were lined with a mix of bookshelves, filing cabinets, and plants. 

Her desk was a sturdy, mahogany construction lined neatly with pens, paperweights, and organizational boxes. Depending on the time of day, it was lit either by one of the lamps on either side or the floor-to-ceiling windows behind her. 

Adora was staring at the decanter of whiskey on one of the back tables, trying to battle a splitting headache, when her assistant’s voice came crackling through the intercom. 

“Hey, um, boss, there’s— there’s a woman here to see you.”

Adora flinched at the sudden noise, rubbing her forehead. “Is it someone from our legal department? I told them to pull as many case files as they could on the patent.”

“No, but I have those with me. She said her name was Catra, and that you’d know—”

Adora’s eyes widened in a mix of surprise and confusion at the name, and she cut her assistant off with the words, “Send her in.”

The door to her office opened seconds later, and Adora stood as Catra walked through it.

She looked hesitant, but there was a hard, determined set to her eyes that Adora recognized from when she would go in for exams in college. Catra approached her desk, standing stiffly in front of it.

“You, um,” Adora started stupidly, trying to make her thoughts go faster. It was like running through waist-high mud. The best she could manage was, “You came.”

“I did.” Catra chewed at the inside of her lip. “Can I sit?”

“Oh, y-yeah, of course. Sorry, um,” Adora said, eyes still wide. “After our talk, I-I didn’t expect—”

“Adora, please shut up.”

Adora nodded. “Yep. Um. Okay.”

Catra shook her head a little as she sat down, prompting Adora to do the same. “I want you to listen _really_ fucking carefully to what I’m about to — are you hungover?”

“What?” Adora blinked. The sudden change in topic took her by surprise, and she had to wait for her brain to catch up. “I don’t— how—”

“There’s an aspirin and a glass of water next to you and the windows are closed,” Catra said, frowning. There was a momentary wrinkle of concern in her face that smoothed over as soon as Adora saw it. “Also, you look like shit.”

 _Fuck_ , Adora thought, looking down at the water. Her assistant had brought it in hours ago, but she’d forgotten about it after a few minutes. “Um—”

“You know what? It doesn’t matter.” Catra took in a deep breath. “Listen. I’ve spent three and a half years with my firm, I just got promoted to junior partner, and this is my first big case.” 

Adora bit back the _congratulations_ on the tip of her tongue and nodded a little.

“Obviously, I don’t want to do this, and I _definitely_ don’t want to do it with you, but…” Catra closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. “I’ve worked so hard for this, and I’m not going to let you take that away from me, so…”

“Catra, are you—are you taking this case?” Adora asked quietly. 

A moment of silence passed between them before Catra nodded jerkily. “Yeah.” She met Adora’s eyes with a hard stare. “But I’m doing it on my terms, and I have three conditions.”

Adora nodded. “Name them.”

“One, you don’t get to use my name or any of the nicknames you used to call me,” Catra said, unblinking. “Until this case is over, I’m Ms. Horde.”

The words stung to hear, but Adora was in no position to argue. She had earned this. Her jaw tightened as she nodded. 

“Two,” Catra said, “I don’t want any contact with you outside of business.”

Another blow, but another fair one. Adora closed her eyes and nodded again, letting out a small exhale through her nostrils.

“Three, you don’t get to ask me any questions about my personal life.” Catra crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back in the chair. “And when this is over, I don’t want to see you again.”

“Okay.” Adora’s voice came out small and a little hoarse. She could feel Catra’s eyes burning into her, but kept her own firmly on the desk. “Thank you for doing this, Ca— Ms. Horde,” She said, swallowing down the bitter taste of the name in her mouth. “The company appreciates it.”

Catra nodded a little. The anger and tension in her seemed to deflate after Adora agreed. “The case, it—it’s a patent dispute, right?”

There was a nick on the surface of the desk that Adora had never noticed before. She ran her finger over it, feeling the groove in the wood, as she nodded stiffly. 

“Over our new prosthetic prototype. We submitted it two years ago, but there were some issues with the notary, and Prime Tech is trying to develop their own version before it gets filed.” The words came out hollow and distant, and if Adora had been looking at Catra’s face she would’ve seen the flash of concern that indifference wiped away.

“I’ll review the state laws surrounding it,” Catra said, nodding. She always liked having something concrete to focus on when she was stressed or anxious, Adora remembered. It made her feel more in control of whatever was happening. “Is there anyone in R&D I can talk to?”

After a second, Adora nodded. “Um. Yeah, I-I can put you in touch with our director— actually, no. I’ll find someone else for you to—”

Catra frowned. “Why wouldn’t I want to speak with the director? Wouldn’t they know more than anyone else about the patent?”

“Because it’s Glimmer.”

Catra blinked once, then twice. “Oh.”

“She took over two years ago at my recommendation,” Adora said quietly, looking up at Catra’s face for half a second. “Within a month she’d completely redesigned our approach to new technology. Then she almost blew up the lab twice working on a— I think it was a synthetic form of cerebrospinal fluid.” Adora shrugged. “Anyway. We got over it.” 

Despite herself, Catra bore the hint of a smile. “That sounds like her.”

“Yeah.” Adora had to fight to keep her face neutral, and continued staring at the desk. “Anyway, she’s going through a lot of personal stuff right now. Do you want me to put you in touch with the assistant director instead?”

Catra blinked, and seemed to remember where they were. “Not really. Glimmer will know more than her assistant does,” She said, then frowned. “Wait, personal stuff? Is she— I mean, is she okay?”

“Uh,” Adora started. The truth was a firm, resounding _no_ , given Angella’s recent diagnosis and the stress surrounding Bow’s job, but it wasn’t exactly her tale to tell. “She’s just having a hard time right now.” 

Catra nodded, slipping back into the mask she’d put on. “Is her contact information the same?”

Adora shook her head. “I’ll give you her business card,” She said, making a note to find Glimmer’s business card.

Catra nodded. After a beat, she said, keeping her voice carefully neutral, “And… how do I contact you if I need your input?”

“Um. Well, I can give you my personal cell—”

“No,” Catra said instantly. She shook her head. “No.”

“...Then I’ll talk to my assistant about keeping an open-door policy with you,” Adora said. “Um. If the patent doesn’t resolve easily, you... might have to come by the office pretty frequently.”

Catra’s jaw pulsed. “If that’s what my job entails, I’ll do it.”

It was new and uncomfortable to be facing this side of Catra when Adora was so used to a different one. Ever since they’d met, they’d been inseparable. 

Adora had known her like someone knows their favorite book. She knew her cover to cover. 

Now, Catra was unreadable. There was a tight, careful mask on her that Adora couldn’t break through. She’d seen Catra do this to other people, and she knew what it meant without needing to ask. 

Hatred.

Adora realized she hadn’t responded, and nodded awkwardly. “My—my assistant has some of the files surrounding the patent,” She said, clearing her throat. “Let me know if there’s anything else you need or want from me.”

“There shouldn’t be,” Catra said tightly. “I’ll make an appointment when I have something that needs your attention.”

Adora nodded. “Do you— are you hungry? I can have someone—”

“I ate.”

“...Got it,” Adora said faintly. 

Catra watched her for a moment before standing up again. She gave Adora a once-over before saying, “I’ll be in touch.” It was a clear goodbye, and Adora knew it.

After a moment, Adora stood as well. “I’ll have Glimmer contact you, Ca— Ms. Horde,” She said. The name was still too unfamiliar in her mouth. It felt wrong. 

Catra gave her a nod and left without another word. 

When the door fell closed, Adora thought the solid, final _click_ of it would ring in her mind forever. 

The aspirin and water sat untouched on her desk. She knew that it would probably make her feel better, and that it would help her focus on something other than the pain, but she’d always been something of a glutton for punishment. 

Adora dropped the aspirin in the trash, pouring the water into one of the plants along the wall of her office. 

There was a time that the prospect of working so closely with Catra would’ve made her heart flutter. 

Now, all Adora could see was the expression on Catra’s face when she had told her those seven horrible, devastating words years ago.

 _I don’t love you anymore_ , Adora had told her. _I’m sorry_.

Catra’s expression, a swirling mix of anger, shock, and betrayal, was seared into her mind. Adora hadn’t been able to look her in the eye when she said it. 

In the moment, Catra had been too focused on her grief and anger to remember something Adora found _very_ important. 

It reminded her of Catra’s first time playing poker with her. She’d always had a knack for the game, as Adora found out quickly, but she was _especially_ good at remembering the other players’ tells. 

Bow always blinked more than he needed to. Glimmer’s voice went up a few notes. 

Adora never looked the others in the eyes. She thought Catra would have remembered. 

Of course, Adora remembered what her parents had told her the week before. She remembered the thinly-veiled threats, the promise of what their future together would mean. 

And Adora figured, not for the first time, that it was for the best that Catra didn’t know she had been lying the last time they spoke.


	2. back to december

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adora remembers a dream. Catra remembers a role model. Glimmer gets the worst news of her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! i think our update schedule is gonna be thursdays around this time every week, so that's something to look forward to. this chapter was a ton of fun to write and i can't wait for you guys to see everything else! 
> 
> (title comes from back to december by taylor swift)

When the weekend came after what felt like years of waiting, the first and most important thing Adora had on her schedule was her biweekly brunch with Bow and Glimmer. 

The other things were all work-related. Normally, she’d be grateful for it, letting herself get lost in the distraction of having a purpose or a job to do. 

That wasn’t the case anymore. After Catra’s meeting with her earlier that week, it was hard to think about being in her office without feeling nauseous. 

But Adora would take her distractions where she could get them, even if that meant having to go grocery shopping for something other than bulk boxes of protein bars and meal replacement smoothies. She usually forgot to, but Bow and Glimmer had long since forgiven her.

The rules of their brunch were simple.

Every two weeks, the three of them would take a few hours out of their morning to spend time together and catch up on how the others were doing. Since Adora and Glimmer both worked fairly high-powered, intense jobs, it gave them a chance to cool down and take a step back from the company. 

But Bow’s job held a different kind of stress, so he got a different kind of value from their brunches. 

After getting his Master’s in education a few years prior, Bow had begun teaching (among other things) AP Psychology at a local high school. 

To absolutely no one’s surprise, all of his students loved him. He was patient, he was flexible about due dates, and — best of all — he took an interest in their well-being. 

Bow had always been perceptive, especially with the people he cared about. When his students were burnt out from life, work, or one of the six _other_ classes they were taking, he didn’t hold it against them. 

He was firm about them learning the material, of course, but as long as they got the work in and made an effort to understand it, there wasn’t much more to demand from them.

But his pride and joy was more recent. 

Bow had always enjoyed working with his hands. Back in college, Glimmer used to joke that, of the two of them, he should’ve been the engineering major. She used to sneak the two of them into the labs late at night, giving herself more time and freedom to work on her assignments and letting him have access to the wide range of materials they used. 

After a few years too many of missing the work he used to do back in college, Bow had started their high school’s very first robotics team. 

He didn’t expect more than a few students to join. 

Within two weeks, he had over 100 members. 

He called it the second love of his life. He spent hours every week in the lab with his students, coaching them on proper machining technique and teaching them how to solder electrical wires properly. It was good work, and he was proud of it. Unfortunately, as with every other part of public education, getting enough funding to keep them afloat was a perpetual issue. 

Well, it was until Grayskull Industries sponsored them.

Bow had fought with Glimmer half-heartedly about securing it at first, but what she’d told him was true. _This is something you love,_ she said. _And the kids love it, too. You bet your ass I got you that sponsorship._

Robotics was the second love of his life, because Glimmer was the first. Years of conversations and re-evaluations between the two of them meant Bow was completely secure in her job and career being more intense, more exhausting, and more lucrative than his own. 

It didn’t matter that they weren’t married or engaged yet— she was his wife. He was her husband. They weren’t going to abandon each other, and they certainly weren’t going to do it over money. 

So rather than a chance to vent or laugh about what had happened during his job — though he did his fair share of that, too — Bow got the chance to see his wife completely relaxed. 

For those few hours, Glimmer wasn’t thinking about her job, her deadlines, or her mother. She could be herself without restraint. It was a side of her Bow missed, and one he would drop anything to see for a little longer. 

Today, their brunch was at Adora’s apartment, so he wasn’t expecting much in terms of food. He made sure that he and Glimmer brought a few bags’ worth of food with them when they left their apartment.

Sure enough, as soon as he and Glimmer stepped through the door, Adora gave them an apologetic look. “Hey, guys. I know I did this last time, but I—”

“Forgot to go to the store,” Glimmer finished, holding up a few bags of supplies. “We figured.” As Bow stepped forward to give Adora a hug, she put the bags on the kitchen counter.

“You guys are the best. You know that?” Adora began to unpack the food the two of them had brought, laying out two loaves of bread and a few cartons of eggs on the counter. “Um, guys, I-I know we all have healthy appetites, but this is… a lot of food. Why—”

Bow interrupted her, answering the question with one of his own. “Adora, how many times in the last six months have you made a meal for yourself here?”

Adora blinked. “That’s— I don’t—”

“Keep the bread,” Bow said, sipping his coffee. “Keep the eggs.”

Glimmer smiled to herself as she walked into the living room. It was a familiar sight, though not necessarily a comforting one. 

Adora’s office had, over the years, gained enough throw pillows and plants to feel lived-in, but it had always come at the expense of her _actual_ living space. 

Instead of warm colors and soft leather, the pre-designed furniture of her penthouse was all black-and-white pieces and severity. There were no plants. There was no warmth. Half the time, Adora wasn’t even home. 

There _was_ a baby grand piano, though it had been collecting dust for some years now. Glimmer remembered Adora playing for them — well, playing for Catra, really — back in college. 

Glimmer could hear Bow and Adora starting to clang around in the kitchen a few feet away. Without taking her eyes off the piano, Glimmer asked, “Hey, when was the last time you played this?”

“What, the—the piano?” Adora asked, distraction clear in her voice. Glimmer looked over to see her trying to read the recipe for hollandaise sauce that Bow had printed off.

“Yeah.”

“It’s been— shit, probably two or three years,” Adora said. She paused for a moment, eyes flicking away from the page. “Around the same time as— I mean, you remember.”

Glimmer did. She nodded, walking over to it. “Why’d you stop?”

Adora’s jaw tightened for half a second where she was gathering eggs together. “I got busy.”

Ten years of experience meant Glimmer knew when Adora was done talking about something, and it was too nice of a day to press her on it. She made eye contact with Bow and raised her eyebrows, and he took the hint. 

“So, Adora,” Bow started, clearing his throat. “Do you want to hear about our robot’s intake mechanism for this year’s challenge?”

Adora did, because she always did. Hearing about Bow’s life gave her and Glimmer some much-needed normalcy, and they’d become more than a little invested in the progress of the team. 

As Bow began to tell a colorful story about how his engineering captain designed it, the three of them fell swiftly into an easy, familiar rhythm of cooking and talking. 

And yet for the rest of the day, even as they cooked and ate and talked, Glimmer couldn’t help but notice Adora stealing glances at the grand piano. 

*** * ***

_NINE YEARS EARLIER._

A month after they got back from winter break, Catra walked into Adora’s dorm expecting to find her doing homework, working out, or blasting music to drown out the sound of construction. 

Instead, it looked like a hurricane had blown through the dorm. 

Papers were strewn across the desk and floor, and a few of Adora’s notebooks were opened to random pages. There was a pile of unfolded laundry at the foot of her bed. A fan on the floor was blowing on its lowest speed, and it sent a quiet hum through the room.

It was _bright_ , too. The blinds weren’t closed, and the harsh sunlight gave everything it touched a sharp gleam. 

Adora was sitting in the only clean corner of the room with her jaw tensed and her hands shaking as she flipped through a textbook. 

“Hey,” Catra said tentatively. “You okay?”

Adora startled at the sound of her voice, and visibly relaxed when she realized who it belonged to. “Oh. Yeah, um… there’s just—there’s a lot going on.”

“I can see that,” Catra said, though her voice was drowned out by the sound of construction from outside. Adora’s jaw tightened at the sound of it, and she put her head in her hands for a moment. “Do you want company?”

“No, I—” The sound of construction came again, and Adora flinched a little at the volume of it. “I just— I can’t—” Her chest was starting to rise and fall even more quickly than it had been. 

Catra wasn’t a trained health professional, nor was she overly familiar with how to help people that needed it, but it didn’t take a psychologist to recognize sensory overload. 

She had forgotten the reason she came in, and now was focused on the set of keys to one of the practice rooms in the music building that were resting in her backpack’s front pouch.

As a pre-law student, she had no reason to have a copy made, but she and Adora had won a game of beer pong against a few music majors and it was a good enough prize. Today, it looked like she’d finally have a use for it.

“Hey,” Catra said quietly. “Hey. Look at me.” After a moment, Adora did. “Put the book down. We’re gonna get you out of here for a second, okay?”

Adora nodded a little, not quite trusting herself to speak. Catra offered a hand that Adora took a moment later, and just like that they were walking down the halls. 

Catra only remembered when they were out of the dorm building that she’d forgotten her jacket (and scarf, and hat, and gloves) in her room. 

She would have braved it, but Adora felt her shiver. 

“Here,” She said, clearing her throat. “Take mine.” Adora shrugged the jacket off her shoulders, leaving her in a light hoodie.

“Oh, um. Thanks.” Catra didn’t hesitate before sliding it onto her shoulders. It was heavy, and a few sizes too big, but it was warm. Catra took a deep breath in and smelled a hint of Adora’s cologne mixed with the deodorant she wore.

Adora nodded. After a few minutes of walking in silence, Adora asked in a small, tired voice, “Catra, where are we going?”

“Somewhere quieter.” Catra shot her a glance. “Sensory overload is a real bitch.”

“Wait, what?”

“Sensory overload,” Catra repeated. “That’s what you were going through, right?”

“I don’t—” Adora let out a surprised laugh. “I don’t know, I—” She blinked. “It doesn’t sound like something that someone like me can get.”

“You’d be surprised.”

Adora frowned a little. “How would— I mean, how did you clock it so fast?”

“My little sister is on the spectrum,” Catra shrugged. “Sometimes, when things are too messy or the room is too bright or there are too many sounds happening at once, it all adds up at once and it’s—”

“Overwhelming,” Adora finished. She blinked in dull realization. “Oh.”

Catra nodded. “Exactly. So we’re going somewhere you can— I dunno, control the sounds better.” They made it to the doors of the music building, and she shot a look back at Adora. “You said you used to play piano, right?” 

When they snuck past the attendants — though most of the thrill was in their heads, considering it was during broad daylight and Adora was 90% sure it was completely fine for them to be there — into the first available practice room, Adora let out a small sigh when she saw the piano for the first time. 

It wasn’t overly ornate, nor was it from a particularly reputable maker, but it was a good, solid upright with keys that were only just starting to yellow. 

Adora ran her hands over the frame of it, feeling the polished wood smooth beneath them, and felt herself smile. 

She _plinked_ a few of the keys just for good measure and hummed. “It’s a little out of tune,” Adora remarked. Pulling out the bench, she sat down in front of it and adjusted herself until she was comfortable. “It’s not bad. Shouldn’t be an issue.”

Catra couldn’t help rolling her eyes good-naturedly. “Oh, my mistake, _princess_. I go to all this trouble to find you a piano and you—”

“Catra,” Adora said softly, interrupting her. “I didn’t mean—” She shook her head. “Thank you.” The words came out quiet and genuine, and Catra felt the rest of the joke melt away into something warmer.

Catra smiled. “Anytime.” After a moment’s silence, she sat down on a nearby stool. “Alright, are you going to play me something, or did I steal a key from a nerd for nothing?”

“First of all, stealing is the wrong word. You earned that key,” Adora corrected, readying herself with a small flourish of her wrists. “Any requests?”

Catra thought for a moment. “Something I don’t know.”

“Something you— wow. Very helpful.”

“Just pick something you like playing! I’m not, like, _that_ familiar with classical stuff, so— I dunno, surprise me.”

Adora let out a long-suffering sigh and shook her head a little. After a moment of thinking, the frown on her face smoothed itself out. “Okay. I have one,” She said. “It’s called Reverie. By Claude Debussy,” She added.

At Catra’s blank stare, Adora blinked. “The—the guy that did Clair de Lune.”

“Oh! Yeah, I know that one. Everyone knows that one.”

“Yeah, well, I-I think you’ll like this one more.”

Catra raised her eyebrows and nodded at the piano in a clear invitation. 

After a moment of thinking, Adora closed her eyes and began to play, and Catra knew without a doubt that she had made the right decision. 

True to her word, the song was one Catra was unfamiliar with, but you wouldn’t have known it from how attentive she became listening to it. 

Adora’s left hand started with a gentle, rhythmic melody before the upper register joined in just a hair out of place. The dreamlike beginning meant, for Catra, that the title’s meaning sunk in almost instantly. 

The music itself built slowly, with every crescendo followed by a decrescendo, until it seemed to reach a climax. Adora’s eyes opened as her hands flew across the keys. Catra watched her face tighten in concentration.

Catra barely knew how much time had passed watching her. Adora’s whole body seemed to move as she played, back straightening and curling in on itself as her legs moved to press at the pedals. Combined with the expressions on her face, the emotion of the music was intoxicating. 

When it ended, with a gentle chord and a closing run of notes, Catra found herself staring at where Adora was breathing just a little heavier than she had been moments earlier.

The last notes hung heavy in the air for a moment before Adora cleared her throat. “So, um. What’d you think?”

It took Catra a second to realize she’d spoken. “Um. Well when you—you said you played piano, I was expecting…”

“A prodigy?” Adora cringed. “Yeah. Sorry about how rough it was. It—it’s been a while since—”

“No, I—” Catra shook her head, letting out a surprised chuckle. “I was expecting, like, Mary Had a Little Lamb. That was…” She swallowed a little. “Adora, that was really, _really_ good.”

Adora shrugged. “I fucked up a few notes.”

“Who gives a fuck?”

“Irina.”

Catra frowned. “Irina?”

“My old piano teacher,” Adora explained. “Former concert pianist with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra. She used to make me start over every time I got something wrong. I’ve played the beginning of that song thousands of times. I used to hate it.”

“Then why did you pick it?”

“Because I thought you’d like it.” Adora took on a smug expression as she watched a blush spread over Catra’s cheeks. “Looks like I was right.”

“Shut up,” Catra said instantly. “This doesn’t mean—” Adora’s raised eyebrow cut her off. 

Catra rolled her eyes a little. She debated sticking to the now-familiar joke between them, but she remembered how distant Adora had been when she first saw her and let out a faux-weary sigh. Adora was having a bad day. She could let her have this.

“ _Fine_. Maybe I _do_ like you. But only a little,” Catra said quickly. “Only marginally more than the average person.”

Adora’s smile broadened. “I’ll take it.”

Catra rolled her eyes again. “You’re such an idiot.”

“Yeah. I’m your idiot, though,” Adora said, turning away before she could see the way Catra’s eyes widened and her lips parted slightly. “Any other requests? We have the room for the next hour.”

Catra swallowed. “That one. Um. Play that one again.”

Adora nodded, turning to begin the piece again, and Catra saw two options open up for her.

The first was easy. She could sit there listening to Adora play piano for hours and hours, not caring whether it was Reverie again or something else Adora felt like sharing with her. 

The second was arguably easier. 

She could reach forward, tap Adora on the shoulder, and kiss her when she turned around. 

In Catra’s mind, it was a tough decision. The two of them had been getting closer and closer for months now, and now shared everything from clothes to beds. They took naps together at least twice every week. Catra slept in Adora’s dorm as much as she slept in her own, and she knew the reverse was true. 

And, if Catra was being honest, she’d wanted to kiss her since the first time Adora blurted out a sentence about how her eyes were different colors.

The next moment passed in what felt like slow motion as she watched Adora turning away from her. In the decade of time that she created for herself, Catra went back and forth about whether or not to do it. 

It was only as Adora readied her hands above the keys one more time that she made her decision. 

Catra steeled herself, reached forward, and tapped Adora on the shoulder. 

The response was instant. Adora turned around, confused, and only managed the words, “Is something—” before Catra pulled her in for an awkwardly angled kiss. 

When their lips met for the first time and everything they’d both been feeling clicked into place, all Catra could think about was that Adora’s lips were chapped. She was distantly aware of a hand coming up to rest on her jaw as Adora tilted her head to deepen the kiss. 

The movement brought her back to reality.

In a flash, Catra realized what she had done, and pulled away in a mix of alarm and embarrassment. 

“Oh my— Fuck, Adora, I-I’m sorry, I should’ve asked—”

Adora blinked slowly at her, dazed. “Asked what? Why’d you stop?”

Catra frowned, her eyes wide. “What?”

“Well, I-I thought we were having a good time,” Adora said, giving her a small, lopsided smile. 

“I kissed you.”

“And I kissed you back,” Adora nodded. “What’s not clicking?”

“Wait, you—” Catra’s eyes widened. “You kissed me back.”

“Nice observation.”

“Shut up,” Catra said. “So that… that was okay?”

Adora gave her another smile. This time, it was the same soft, endlessly sweet one Catra had seen on Christmas. “More than okay.”

When the words — and, more importantly, their meaning — registered for Catra, she found herself smiling again. “So I can— _we_ can do that again?”

Adora brushed a strand of hair away from Catra’s face and left her hand resting on her cheek. “Why don’t you come find out?”

*** * ***

The night before her first meeting with Catra — which was technically her second, but that was more of a trial run than anything — Adora couldn’t sleep. 

Instead, she lay awake in her bed for two hours. In the past, her avoidance strategy had been alcohol. Tonight it was alternating between scrolling through social media and playing mindless games on her phone. 

Adora hated nights like this. 

She valued her sleep (though not enough, as Micah told her with every check-up he gave her), and losing it didn’t result in anything good. Specifically, she hated the anxiety of it all. There was a twisting ball of nerves that had lodged firmly in the pit of her stomach.

Unfortunately, experience told her it probably wasn’t going away anytime soon. 

Adora let out a huff and looked over at the clock on her bedside table. A glowing _2:18am_ stared back at her. 

_Ouch_ , Adora thought. She thought for a moment about what to do. 

She had to get up around 6am to make sure she was prepared and ready for work — meaning, she had gone for her morning run, finished her morning workout, and showered — by 8:30. Her meeting with Catra was at 10:15. 

If she fell asleep now, she could survive on the four and a half hours of sleep she’d end up with. 

An hour later, Adora remembered the melatonin supplements in her bedside table. 

They helped her fall asleep, though it didn’t help her _stay_ asleep. She lost track of how many times she woke up in the night, but she remembered reaching out for a side of the bed that was long-empty every time.

Her alarm sounded faithfully the second the clock struck six, and she woke up more tired than she’d been in a while. Her run helped, as did the workout that followed it, and by the time she made her way to the office with a coffee waiting for her on her desk Adora had almost begun to ease the tension she felt. 

The slip of paper on her desk — which, in fairness, she had asked her assistant to leave — simply reading _Catra Horde_ brought it all back. 

Adora let out a sigh, reaching for her coffee. It was a little bitter, but she didn’t care. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on the important thing: the work. If she could just focus on the work, everything would be easier.

Today, their meeting was more of a brief for Catra. 

As far as Adora knew, she had a general idea of what the patent dispute entailed, but Prime Tech had insisted on a personal testimony from Adora as the senior executive of the company. Unfortunately for both of them, the Board had agreed.

More than anything else, Adora didn’t know how to talk to her anymore. 

Back when they were young, it was so easy. Catra was the first person Adora wanted to tell _anything_ to. 

_It should be easy now. If I hadn’t—_ Her jaw tightened. She took another sip of coffee. 

Catra had made it explicitly clear that she didn’t want any form of contact with Adora outside of work, and Adora respected that. She did. She understood why. If she was in Catra’s position, she would’ve done the same thing. 

It hurt, of course. 

All Adora had wanted for six years was to see her again and ask her about her life. Knowing that it wasn’t an option anymore was hell, but in a way it almost gave her a sense of peace. At least she knew.

When Catra walked through her door again, Adora could see instantly that the two of them were in the same boat. There were bags under Catra’s eyes, though she’d tried to hide them, and her jaw was tight when she sat down across from Adora. 

“Good morning, Ms. Grayskull.” Her voice was clipped, unfamiliar. 

_So that’s how it’s going to be_ , Adora thought dimly. “Morning, Ms. Horde,” She said in return, clearing her throat. “Were you able to go over the files?”

Catra nodded, and rifled through the briefcase she’d brought for a moment. “I looked into the laws surrounding it,” She said, laying a stack of neatly ordered manila envelopes in front of her on the desk. “I was a little surprised to see the inventor’s name come up so much. What was it?”

Adora had been expecting this. “Entrapta,” She said, rubbing the tension out of her forehead. “When she created the prototype, she was working for us. She left a month and a half later to work with Prime Tech.”

“So the patent is under her name and not yours,” Catra finished, eyes widening in realization. “Well, that makes this—” She shook her head a little. “I thought you said there was an issue with the notary.”

“There _was_ an issue with the notary,” Adora said. “The issue was that the notary wasn’t fast enough.”

“That’s not—” An edge of frustration entered Catra’s voice, and she cut herself off. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. “That makes this situation a hell of a lot more complicated.”

Adora wanted to reassure her, to apologize, or just to offer her support, but she figured none of it would go over well. She did her best to smooth over the concern she knew was plain on her face. In a carefully neutral tone, she said, “The company is happy to pay you for as long as you need—”

“ _Please_ stop fucking calling yourself the company,” Catra interrupted, snapping harshly at her. Her eyes widened a second later, and she tried to rein herself back in. “Um. Sorry, I—”

“No need to apologize,” Adora said, eyes dipping down in a mix of shame and guilt. “It’s okay.”

“It was out of line.” Catra shook her head. “Whatever. You never gave me Glimmer’s phone number,” She said, switching topics. “She’d be a good place to start.”

That was true. Adora had forgotten completely about giving her Glimmer’s contact information, considering she’d been far too busy trying to avoid thinking about the situation as a whole to remember it. 

“Oh, I can just have her come up,” Adora offered. “She’s a few floors down in R&D right now.”

Catra’s eyes widened as Adora pressed a button on her phone. “Lisa, can you tell Glimmer I need to see her?” She asked, almost able to hear her assistant nodding over the phone. 

Catra’s jaw ticked. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I just did,” Adora said. “She should be here in a few minutes.”

True to her word, Glimmer showed up three and a half minutes later. “Hey,” She said, striding through the door. She was looking at a piece of paper in her hands, or she would’ve noticed Catra there. “If this is about the fire in the lab we had a few days ago, I’ve already taken care of—”

She looked up in the middle of speaking to see Catra staring wide-eyed at her, and the breath left her body. “Oh. Um. Hi, Catra.”

“Hi,” Catra said faintly. “You— it’s been a while.”

“Yeah.” Glimmer’s eyes flicked over to Adora, who nodded. “Wow. Okay. Can I— what can I do for you?”

Catra shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “I was hoping I could talk to you about Entrapta’s work.”

Glimmer hummed, taking a few steps closer. “Because of the patent, right?”

“Yeah.”

Glimmer nodded. “Sure. I have room in my schedule if you want to do it now—” She was cut off by the harsh sound of her phone’s ringtone, which carved easily through the room’s tension. 

That was a surprise to Catra. Back in college, Glimmer always kept her phone on vibrate, just like the rest of them. Now, she cut herself off in the middle of a sentence to fumble around for it. 

As she read the name on the caller ID, she looked up with a pale, terrified expression on her face and nodded to Adora.

Adora’s eyes widened, and she shot out of her seat. 

Catra watched her practically run over to Glimmer, putting a supportive hand on her back as she answered the call with wide, fearful eyes, and got the distinct feeling that there was something big she was missing.

“Hey, dad,” Glimmer said, voice coming out tight. “What is it?”

Catra shifted again in her seat and saw Glimmer’s facial expression turn from concern to worry to pure nervousness. “Is everything—”

Adora held a finger to her lips, giving her a warning glance. Catra would have been annoyed if it wasn’t for the fear so obvious in their body language. 

She could hear a voice on the other end of the line, though she couldn’t make out what they were saying. 

Glimmer seemed to remember Catra was with them. Her eyes flicked over to where she was sitting. “Fuck. Listen, dad, I-I’m in a meeting. I’m gonna call you back in a few minutes, okay? You can tell me more about it.” 

The call ended shortly after, and Glimmer put a hand over her mouth as she closed her eyes.

Adora looked more worried than Catra had seen in a long, long time. “How long?” She asked, impossibly gentle. 

“Two years,” Glimmer said quietly. “They just— my dad got the prognosis. Before, all we had was the initial diagnosis and a few tests, but now—” Her voice broke on the last word, and she wiped away a few stray tears before looking over at where Catra was sitting. “I-I’m gonna have to reschedule.”

“That’s okay,” Catra rushed. She wasn’t sure what was happening, but it didn’t sound good. “I’ll leave my office’s number.”

Glimmer nodded, though Catra wasn’t sure the words registered. “Adora, I-I have to go. Bow, he—he wanted me to tell him if—”

“Of course.” Adora nodded, pulling her in for a hug. “Take all the time you need.”

Glimmer left a moment later, still trying to control the ragged, short breaths coming out of her. Catra watched her go. 

She couldn’t stop herself from asking, “What does two years mean?”

Adora reached up to scratch at the back of her neck, and Catra narrowed her eyes at the sight. Years of experience told her that the movement meant Adora felt guilty. There was something she wasn’t telling her. “It’s not— I shouldn’t—”

“Adora,” Catra interrupted, giving her a hard stare. “Tell me what’s going on.”

The stare meant Catra could see the tears welling in Adora’s eyes, which only made her more nervous. 

“It’s Angella,” Adora said quietly. “She— a few years ago, right after she was elected to Washington’s State Legislature, she—” She let out a sigh, closing her eyes. “They found an inoperable brain tumor.”

Catra put a hand over her mouth. “Fuck,” She breathed. 

Adora nodded. “There’s been a ton of uncertainty about it for years now. It’s kind of understood within the company that when Glimmer gets a call from Micah, she has to take it.” She swallowed thickly, and Catra heard her voice shake with her next words. “That was the official prognosis. Two years.”

“And when you say two years, you mean two years to—”

“Live.” Adora nodded, wiping away a tear with the back of her hand. “Yeah.” She started gnawing at the inside of her lip. “I-I’m sorry, can we— can we do this another time?”

Whatever Catra had been expecting this meeting to end like, it wasn’t this. “Oh,” She said faintly. Her blood was rushing in her ears. Somewhere, she heard herself respond,“Yeah. I’ll be here tomorrow, then. Same time?”

“Same time,” Adora confirmed. “Sorry for—” She cut herself off. “I’m sorry.”

The words came out quiet, with an unexpected weight, and Catra knew that if she thought about them for more than a second she’d never stop. “It’s fine,” She said. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”

Adora gave her a weak attempt at a smile. “See you then, Ms. Horde.”

*** * ***

_NINE YEARS EARLIER_.

Between class, the joy of her new relationship, and her adjustment to her university’s semester length, summer came earlier than Catra expected it to.

She was aware, of course, of the days ticking by. The issue was that she usually measured them in assignments and exams rather than in sunrises and sunsets.

Coming back to LA after a New England fall, winter, and spring was a little bit of a shock. Catra had grown used to having real seasons and colder weather. The dryness of the desert wasn’t what she remembered. 

Being at home was a blessing and a curse. She had missed her siblings, her old friends, and her parents. There was no debate about that. 

The issue was more that being surrounded by so many _rules_ after so much time on her own was stifling in a way she couldn’t have predicted. 

_No TV after 9pm or it’ll wake up your sister,_ her mother would remind her. _Be home by 10 if you’re out after dark. Your Florida cousins are visiting in two weeks, so you’ll have to get used to sleeping on the couch._

It would’ve been better if she had her friends there, but the four of them seemed to scatter to the winds as soon as their last finals were over. 

Adora and Bow were still in the Northeast, with Bow working as a camp counselor in Maine and Adora interning at her parents’ company in Manhattan. They called whenever they could — and, when Adora had the front office to herself, beyond that — and were able to Skype a few times a week. 

There were days when the distance got too much to handle, but by this point Catra had stolen nearly half of Adora’s wardrobe. There was a hoodie — Adora’s favorite — that still smelled like her. Whenever Catra wanted or needed to feel close to her, she wore it. 

Glimmer, at least, was closer. Her parents lived in Seattle. It was a long drive — close to 17 hours, if Catra remembered right — but the flight was shorter. 

Seeing her cousins helped, because it always did. Her favorite one — Rogelio — was a year older, and seemed to understand what she meant when she signed _need to escape_ after he asked how she was doing. 

Having Rogelio made the summer more bearable. 

Since that part of their family lived in Florida, he’d never had boba tea, and that wouldn’t do.

Since Catra had been in Massachusetts for the better part of a year, she’d missed out on getting a proper tan, and that wouldn’t do either. 

The two of them drove around, only bringing the least uptight of the younger cousins along with them, for as long as they could without running Catra’s tight supply of gas money down. Since Catra had made do in a dorm bed — with another person twice her size, she might add — for almost a year, the couch wasn’t an issue. 

Rogelio was in a sleeping bag on the floor next to her during the last night his family was there. 

Just like every other night, the two of them stayed up for hours and hours signing jokes and stories and anything else they could think of back and forth to each other. A lamp was too risky, so they operated in the moonlight creeping in through the window. 

When he finally asked if she was seeing anyone, Catra faltered. 

_YES_ , she signed after a beat. _I HAVE GIRLFRIEND_. 

Rogelio frowned a little. _BOYFRIEND_ , he signed back, as if correcting her word choice. 

Catra rolled her eyes. Coming in third after Spanish and English, ASL was one of the languages she’d been speaking for the longest time. The whole family knew it like— well, like the back of their hand. 

_GIRLFRIEND_ , she repeated. 

She could see the moment it clicked for Rogelio, because his eyes widened and he made a small noise in the back of his throat. There was a brief moment where neither of them said anything, but he broke the stillness first. 

_HAPPY FOR YOU_ , he signed, giving her a smile. He reached up and put a hand on her wrist, shaking it gently as if to make sure she knew. 

Against her best wishes, Catra started to tear up. 

Her parents had known — somewhat unhappily — for years that she had no plans to marry a man. She came out to them in her junior year of high school, when she’d wanted to go to prom with her best friend. Her mother had frowned in confusion and asked if she was gay. 

Taken by surprise, Catra had nodded and said, “Yeah, but that’s not why.”

Her parents hadn’t kicked her out for it, which they reminded her every so often. They weren’t thrilled, but years of conversations and attempts to understand had made it easier. 

They were in a good spot right now. Catra had told them about Adora a few weeks prior, and they’d taken it surprisingly well. But outside of her parents and her siblings, Rogelio was the first member of her family to find out. 

He had always been one of her best friends. If it wasn’t for the fact that she couldn’t exactly _call_ him, she would’ve told him the second it happened.

He squeezed her wrist again, this time giving her a concerned look, and Catra realized she hadn’t said anything back. 

_SORRY,_ she signed. _THANK YOU_. 

Tentatively, after a few leading questions from Rogelio, Catra told him about Adora. She told him about their first kiss, about how Adora was an excellent piano player and an even better partner, and about how damn _hot_ she was. 

She felt herself lose the thread of another story thinking about Adora’s arms, and when she looked back Rogelio was giving her a warm, genuine smile. _HAPPY FOR YOU_ , he signed again. _YOU DESERVE HER._

His family left the next day. Catra was grateful for the sudden sense of peace in the house, but she felt a small hole in her once he left. She missed having friends around. 

Catra mentioned the story to Glimmer the next time they called, and her response was instant. 

“Well, do you want to come up here for a bit?” Glimmer asked casually.

Catra blinked in surprise, then forgot Glimmer couldn’t see her. “Um. What?”

“Do you want to come stay in Seattle for a bit? I’ve been bored out of my mind for, like, a month now, and I’ve told my parents a ton of stories about you guys. They want to meet you for real.” Glimmer paused. “Especially my mom, actually.”

“Wait, really?” Catra asked, frowning. “Why?”

“She thinks we’re, like, _super_ similar.” Even through the phone, she could see Glimmer shrug. “Personally, I don’t see it, but I’m not about to tell her no. She’s a lawyer, dude. She’ll convince me.”

Catra let out a chuckle and went quiet for a moment. “Yeah, okay.”

“Yeah what?”

“Yeah, I’ll come up for a bit. I’m gonna have to talk to my parents, but… yeah.” Catra realized she was grinning and nodded to herself. “Should I fly or drive?”

In the end, the answer was fly. 

Her parents had met Glimmer at one or two parents’ weekends, and had heard enough stories from Catra to know that she wasn’t exactly a stranger. They were on board much quicker than Catra imagined. 

Originally, Catra planned to use some of her savings to pay for the flight, but Glimmer waved it off. “Nah, we can fly you out if it’s an issue.”

That wasn’t part of the plan. “Okay, no—”

“Then we’ll pay for half,” Glimmer said. “Compromise.”

Catra was stubborn, but even she had her limits. She could accept a compromise. A few clicks later, she had a trip in place. 

When she told Adora about it that night, she could hear the smile in her voice. “God, you guys are gonna have so much fun. That’s really exciting, babe,” Adora said. Catra knew her well enough to know instantly that the happiness in her voice was genuine. “When did you say you were going?”

“Uh, two and a half weeks,” Catra said, eyes flicking over to the calendar on her wall.

Adora nodded. “Cool. And—” She cut herself off abruptly. “Nah, never mind.”

“What’s up?”

Adora was quiet for a moment. “Are you gonna be able to call for the week you’re there? And if—if not, I totally under—”

“Babe, of _course_ I am. Glimmer already said she wants to Skype you while I’m there.” Hearing silence on the other end, Catra continued, “I mean, she’s had to write letters with Bow all summer. She’s _dying_ to see you.”

“Wait, like, _letters_ letters?” Adora asked. “Like they’re two townspeople courting in 18th century England?”

Catra let out a small laugh. “Exactly. _My dearest Glimmer,_ ” She started, putting on a posh, exaggerated English accent, “ _I miss you so. My heart yearns to see you_.”

“My heart yearns to see you,” Adora said sweetly.

Catra could hear the smile in her voice. “Well, it sounds a little gay when _you_ say it.” 

As Adora laughed on the other end of the phone, Catra looked over at the clock on her desk. “Shit. It’s almost one in the morning there, baby. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because then I wouldn’t get to talk to you,” Adora replied easily. “And I wanna hear everything about your trip.”

Catra smiled to herself. “You will.”

Two and a half weeks felt like two and a half years by the time they were over, but finally Catra found herself navigating to baggage claim in the Seattle airport. 

The moment Glimmer saw her, she ran across the airport to tackle her into a hug. “You made it!” Glimmer said, ecstatic. “Fuck! How was your flight? Was everything okay?”

“Uh, yeah,” Catra said, smiling. “Everything was great.” 

“Alright, sick.” Glimmer hugged her again, and Catra returned it easily. “Hey, just so you know, my parents are here too. They wanted to meet you properly.”

Eyes flicking behind Glimmer over her shoulder, Catra finally got to take a good look at them. She had met a few times before, of course, but it had been very brief. 

She remembered Glimmer’s father was a doctor of some kind — a surgeon, maybe — and that Angella was a lawyer specializing in civil rights, but that was about it. She was grateful for the opportunity to refamiliarize herself.

Micah’s were crinkled from the beaming smile on his face that Catra recognized instantly as Glimmer’s. He had black hair that was starting to turn silver near the edges. His beard was neatly-trimmed, though it had a few crumbs of pastry in it, and he waved at her as she approached. 

“Catra, right? I’m Micah. Glimmer’s dad,” He said, offering her a hand. She took it, remembering what her father had always told her about having a firm grip. “It’s great to meet you.”

“You’ve already met, darling. Twice, if I recall correctly.” Angella’s voice was smooth and low, and Catra looked over to see her looking fondly at her husband. Micah gave her a warm smile and nodded, leaning up to kiss her on the cheek. 

They wore matching earrings, Catra realized. Small crescent moons hung from both of their ears. 

When Angella turned towards Catra with a small, tentative smile, she could see a kind of fierce determination in her eyes. 

“Hello again, dear.” She was tall, and looked endlessly graceful even in jeans and a simple blouse. “I’m Angella.” 

“Hi. Um, Catra,” She said, pointing awkwardly to herself. “Thank you guys for letting us do this. It— I think we needed it.”

Angella was still looking at her with those piercing eyes, though they were tempered by her smile. “Of course. Glimmer’s been bouncing off the walls, so we’re just glad she has a friend.”

Glimmer let out a half-annoyed, half-embarrassed “ _Mom!_ ” at the words, and Catra knew instantly that the four of them were going to get along just fine.

As a college student, Catra knew it was only a matter of time before someone asked about her major. 

She was right, but she was lucky enough to have an hour and thirty-two minutes go by without anyone mentioning it once. It was a new record for her. 

In the end, it was Angella who finally asked. They had made it back to the house, and Catra was helping her with the dishes while Glimmer and Micah watched a basketball game in the other room. 

“So, Catra, my—my daughter tells me you’re pre-law,” Angella began. 

Internally, Catra sighed. _There it is._ “I am, yeah.”

“Do you have a concentration you’re thinking of?”

Catra shrugged, rubbing at a spot on one of the plates from their late lunch. “I was thinking maybe corporate or business law.”

Angella nodded. “It’s a lucrative sector,” She said lightly. 

Catra knew from her experience around Glimmer that she had more to say. 

They were quiet for a moment before Angella piped up again. “Glimmer told you I’ve been a lawyer for—” She paused, counting, “—nearly twenty-three years now, right?”

“She did, yeah. You’re… don’t tell me,” Catra said, holding up a finger. “She said you were a public defender for a while, and now you do… civil rights cases? I-I think she mentioned you’d been doing some work with the ACLU recently.”

Angella nodded, impressed. “Almost. I—” She shook her head a little. “You’re right. I was a public defender for ten years, and I’ve been with a civil rights firm ever since, but before that I was in copyright law in Los Angeles.”

“Oh,” Catra said. “Okay. I didn’t know that.”

“Yes, well. Normally, I lead with the public defender part,” Angella said, giving her a wry smile. “But if copyright or patent law is something you want to pursue, I’d be happy to talk to you about my experience.”

Catra blinked and turned fully towards her. “Really?”

“Of course.” Angella shot her a glance. “And I still have connections with a few local firms. If you ever need a summer job, call me. I doubt your qualifications will be an issue.”

“I—” Catra blinked again. “Thank you. You, um,” She started, swallowing. “You’re the first real lawyer I’ve ever talked to, so that would— yeah. That would be great.”

Angella smiled at her then. Micah’s smile was infectious — as was Glimmer’s — but Angella’s was softer. Sweeter, almost. It was affectionate, and maternal in a way that put Catra instantly at ease. “Then I’m honored,” She said quietly. “I’ll give you my cell number. And I mean it when I say call me, Catra.”

“I-I will,” Catra said, still half-amazed. “Thank you, Ms. Moon—”

“Angella. Please,” She corrected. “Call me Angella.”

*** * ***

True to her word, Catra showed up at Adora’s office the next day. 

She hadn’t slept well for more reasons than one, and that was something not even Melog could help her with. 

For one, seeing Glimmer had been a surprise. She knew it was going to happen eventually, but had assumed she would at least be in control of _when_ it happened. And hearing about Angella....

It was a strange thing to see so much of a mother figure in someone that wasn’t one of her parents. 

Angella had been something of a role model for her for nearly ten years now. 

She was still the first person Catra called when she had an issue with a case or needed guidance. Given they stuck strictly to business whenever they spoke, Catra wasn’t particularly _surprised_ that Angella had kept the tumor from her, but it still hurt. 

Bigger than the hurt, though, was the fear. 

In her life, Catra had only ever lost a few people, and none had been as close to her as Angella was. Most of her grandparents were still alive, and the ones that weren’t passed away when she was too young to remember them. 

Catra didn’t know if she had a right to be as worried and as anxious about it as she was. After all, she hadn’t spoken to Glimmer’s family as one of her friends in years. 

She found it hard to shake the pit of dread in her stomach as she approached Adora’s office for the second time in as many days.

The door was unlocked. Catra didn’t think twice before opening it, and was about to speak when she realized she and Adora weren’t alone. 

Catra nearly dropped her briefcase when she realized who was in the room with them.

It was bad enough that she had to see Adora again so soon after their last meeting. 

It was infinitely worse to see her father standing between them in a fitted grey suit. He looked older than he had when she had last seen him, and his hair had turned almost entirely to silver. 

Adora was sitting at her desk with her eyes downcast, nodding every so often as her father spoke in a low tone to her. It was interesting — and sad, Catra thought — to see such a tall, strong person look so incredibly small. 

It was a position Catra had seen Adora in many, many times, and there was still some traitorous part of her mind that felt an instant pang of sympathy for her. It was quickly shouted down by a mix of memory and resolve, of course, but part of it lingered behind.

Adora seemed to notice her, because her eyes widened. “Dad,” She said quietly, nodding towards her. “I have a meeting.”

He looked Catra up and down before turning back to Adora. “Fine,” He said. “But we’re not done. I’ll wait outside.”

Adora nodded, not meeting his eyes, and he turned to leave. He brushed past Catra without so much as a _hello_ and left a second later. 

Almost in disbelief, Catra realized that he didn’t recognize her. If he did, he didn’t care enough to say anything. Adora seemed to realize at the same time, and frowned after him with wide eyes. 

“I-I’m sorry about that,” She said, meeting Catra’s eyes for a moment before averting them. They landed on a ring of keys on her desk, and Adora trailed off. 

Catra followed her gaze down to see a small, circular chip sitting on the key ring. After a moment, Adora reached over and slowly, carefully took it off. She opened a drawer in her desk before placing it there gently. 

“What’s that?” Catra asked, unable to stop herself. 

“My three-year chip,” Adora said, replacing it with a smaller, differently-colored one. “I-I fell off the wagon the other night, so I can’t really keep it on.” She pointed to the new one. “This is my seven-day one.”

Catra blinked. “What?”

Adora looked back over at her. “Sobriety chips. You know, from—from AA meetings,” She said, frowning a little.

Catra blinked again. “Since when do you go to AA meetings?”

“Since I became an alcoholic.”

The words still weren’t quite clicking in Catra’s mind. She knew it was rude to ask, but her mouth started forming the words before her brain could catch up. “Since when are you an alcoholic?”

“Since I— okay, I’m not doing this with you,” Adora said, realizing too late how familiar her tone became. She frowned for a moment. “Do you really—” She cut off, looking genuinely confused. 

“Do I really…?” Catra asked, leaning forward a little. 

“Sorry, Ca— Ms. Horde,” Adora started, correcting herself, “I just—” She shook her head. “It—it was just a pretty public thing a few years ago. I figured everyone knew.”

“Oh.” A small wave of chagrin rolled over Catra, and she had to fight to keep a blush off her face. “Um. I have you and your company muted on every social media platform I have.”

Despite herself, Adora let out a small, humorless chuckle. “Should’ve known.” She shrugged. “But yeah. I mean, it—it’s not a super uncommon thing in business. Especially among executives. You work with a lot of lawyers and businesspeople, so I’m sure I’m not the first alcoholic you’ve met,” She said. 

Admittedly, that was true. The culture surrounding law and business meant that whiskey was an acceptable meal replacement for the majority of clients Catra had taken. 

That wasn’t the point. In her life, Catra had never known Adora to be as casual about a major event in her life as she was now. She blinked once, then twice. “Oh,” She said, not really sure how to respond.

“You seriously didn’t hear anything about it?” Adora asked. “It was a news story for five and a half weeks.” After a moment of half-stunned silence on Catra’s end, Adora opened up her phone and typed something into the search bar before showing it to her.

Catra looked down to see an article from a few years ago reading _Grayskull Industries CEO Opens Up About Rehab, Alcoholism in Unveiling New Company Healthcare Policy_. 

“Healthcare policy?” She asked, frowning at it.

“Yeah. Better access to resources for addicts, private AA or NA meetings, paid leave for inpatient care, stuff like that.” Catra couldn’t help but stare at her, and Adora shifted in her seat. “There’s— I did a video about it. But that’s not why you’re here.” 

Catra remembered with a jolt why she _was_ there, and nodded a few times. “Oh. Right. Um, so— we were discussing Entrapta’s involvement with the patent.”

“We were.” Adora nodded. “Glimmer and Bow are flying to Seattle for a few days, so she’s out of the office. But I’d be happy to get in touch with her for you.”

“Sure,” Catra said. “I have some questions for her about timing.”

Adora nodded. “I figured. I’ll let her know to meet with you.”

“Thanks.” 

A silence followed the words, settling heavy in the space between them.

The two of them had always been a little too in sync. Just as it was growing unbearable, they broke it at the same time. 

“So I have—”

“Is there anything—”

Adora fought a smile. “You first.”

“No, um. Please,” Catra said, nodding at her and gesturing for her to keep going.

“Sorry, but I actually have a meeting to finish up,” She said, nodding toward the door.

“With your dad?”

Adora’s jaw ticked. “With a presiding member of the Board of Trustees, yes.”

Catra nodded a little. Adora had always been too polite to tell her to leave, but the message was clear. “Let me know when Entrapta wants to meet.”

“Of course, Ms. Horde.” Adora smiled at her, and just for a moment Catra saw a glimpse of the soft, sweet one she used to love so much. 

She looked away. 

With a loud, jarring _click_ , Catra snapped the clasps of her briefcase shut. “Okay, well. I’ll see you, Ms. Grayskull.”

A small flash of pain crossed over Adora’s face, though it was smoothed over quickly. “Until next time.”

Catra left, leaving the door open, and was met with Adora’s father standing with his hands crossed over his chest. They made eye contact for just a moment as Catra left. 

She sped by him before she could see a small flash of recognition in his face, and couldn’t stop her heart from pounding at the thought of him remembering her.

*** * ***

_NINE YEARS EARLIER._

Parents’ weekend was a nightmare, but Adora really shouldn’t have been surprised. 

It was the first time her parents had ever stepped foot on campus. Privately, Adora thought it showed. The first thing her father had said when she showed him her old dorm building was, “With all the money we’ve sunk into this place, you’d think they could do better.”

Adora had taken the dig at her school in stride, just like she took all of the other ones. Honestly, she was just glad they were here— even if it was unintentional. 

Her parents were something of a paradox. They were rarely available, and always treated her with an aloof sort of derision, yet they claimed to be excellent parents that knew what was best for her. 

When her mother had mentioned they were going to be there for parents’ weekend, Adora knew the reason why. There was an annual tech conference that her father had been planning an announcement for. This year, it was being held in Boston.

But Adora let her mother — and herself — pretend it was true. 

She ignored the pangs of sadness that crept up every time her father checked his watch, ignored the guilt and tension she felt watching her mother try (and fail) to remember things about her life, and ignored the ball of nerves that had been twisting in her stomach all day.

In another halfhearted attempt at connection, her mother asked her briefly if she had a boyfriend. Adora responded honestly. 

“No,” She said. “But if you want to meet my girlfriend, she’s getting our apartment set up now.”

The apartment they picked was nothing special, though it was big enough for her and Catra to live comfortably. To pay for it, Adora had been working at the campus rec center for the better part of a year — Glimmer said it humbled her, Bow said it was just gross — and Catra had recently taken a job in their library. 

When Adora got there, she was greeted with the sight of no fewer than ten other people all talking at once. They were in front of a U-Haul, Adora realized. She briefly worried that all of them were fitting into an apartment. 

Then she realized it was _her_ U-Haul, and that one of the people yelling was Catra. 

Adora’s knowledge of Spanish mainly stemmed from Spain, so adjusting to Catra’s rapid mix of Dominican and Cuban slang took her a moment. 

Currently, Catra was directing the people around her — probably her family, Adora figured, given how mean she was being to them — in a mix of English, Spanish, and ASL, if Adora was tracking the movements of her hands correctly. 

“Wait here,” She said to her parents, not looking away from her girlfriend.

Adora jogged over to Catra, tapping her on the shoulder. “Hey, you,” She said, giving her a small smile. “What’s going on?”

“God, don’t even get me started,” Catra said. She was sweating in the August heat, and Adora watched it bead up on her forehead and roll down the side of her face. “Wait, why are you here? I thought you were with—”

“My parents,” Adora finished. “I am.” Taking one of Catra’s hands in her own, she said, “They want to meet you.”

“Oh, fuck,” Catra blurted, eyes widening. “Right now?”

“They’re standing over there, so… yeah.” 

Catra blinked. “I’m sweating.”

“It’s a hot day.”

“Yeah, but I’m gonna be sweating in front of your parents.”

“So?”

“So?” Catra repeated, indignant. “Rich people don’t sweat.”

Dimly, Adora wondered for half a second if she’d ever seen her mother sweat. She figured it was the wrong time to think about it, and shook her head to refocus. “Look, it doesn’t have to be long. Please?”

Catra let out a small groan. “Okay. Yes, but you have to get dinner with us tonight.”

Getting dinner with Catra’s family was something Adora had been looking forward to for months now, so it was an easy thing to agree to. “Deal.”

Catra stole a glance over at Adora’s parents to see a prim-looking couple standing about thirty feet away.

Her father checked his watch again, no doubt measuring in his mind how it would take to get back to Boston in time. Her mother pulled out a small compact mirror, touching up the makeup on her cheek.

“They’re gonna hate me,” Catra said matter-of-factly, wiping the sweat off with a towel sticking out of her back pocket. 

“They’re not gonna hate you,” Adora soothed. “Promise.”

Catra let out a sigh, studying her face for a second before nodding. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

Adora offered a hand, which Catra took easily. Walking back over, Adora’s mother noticed them first. She put a subtle hand on her husband’s wrist and squeezed lightly until he looked up. 

“Oh,” He said, blinking. “Nice to meet you. I’m Richard Grayskull.” He offered a hand, and Catra took it. “You have a firm grip.”

There was a note of approval in his voice that made Catra stand a little straighter. “Thank you, sir. I-I’m Catra Horde.”

“What’s your major?” He asked, looking between her and Adora. 

“Pre-law.”

Richard nodded, half-impressed. “So you’re a smart one.” He turned to Adora. “Good choice.”

“It’s lovely to meet you,” Adora’s mother said, clasping her hands. “Adora talks about you all the time, though I’m afraid we didn’t realize you two were…” She trailed off, looking at where their hands were joined. “Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter. My name is Elizabeth.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Grayskull.” Catra’s voice held a note of tension in it that Adora picked up on instantly. She gave her hand a gentle squeeze, feeling Catra squeeze back seconds later. “And you, too, sir. Sorry, I-I have to get back to moving us in, but—”

“Of course,” Elizabeth said, waving a hand gracefully through the air. “Until next time, darling.”

Catra blinked. “Yeah. Until then, ma’am.” She turned to Adora. “Walk me back over?”

Adora nodded. When they were a safe distance away, she said in a low voice, “See? That went okay.”

“Your mom is British,” Catra said, shaking her head. “I— wow. I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Oh. Yeah,” Adora said, looking over at her. “Did I not mention that?”

“You did not, in fact, mention that.”

Adora hummed. “My bad. Yeah, she’s British. I think she’s technically part of the nobility, too.”

“No. That’s a joke,” Catra said, eyes narrowing. “You’re joking.”

Adora shook her head. “Her dad— my grandpa was in the house of Lords. Now her brother-in-law is, but… y’know. We’re still related.”

Catra just stared at her. “Every time I think your family can’t get more pretentious, you find a way to one-up me.”

“It’s a skill.” Adora grinned at her, bringing their joined hands up to kiss gently at Catra’s knuckles. “They’re heading out, so I’ll be back soon. Save me a seat at dinner?”

“Shit, Your Highness, I’ll save you the bill,” Catra said.

Adora grinned. “You’re such a dick.”

“It’s a skill,” Catra echoed. “Now get out of here.”

Adora’s parents left less than twenty minutes later. Her mother gave her a neat, dry kiss on either cheek and told her to be safe. Her father gave her a firm handshake and a stern nod. It was more than either of them had done in months, so Adora figured there were worse outcomes.

Her phone buzzed with a text from Catra a few minutes later with the name of the place her family was eating. It was a familiar place — a small, family-run Thai restaurant a few blocks from their apartment — and one of Catra’s favorites. Reading it made Adora smile. 

_On my way_ , she wrote back, and pocketed her phone.

She was at the door not ten minutes later, and found Catra’s family easily. There were eight of them — Adora counted — all squeezed around two tables. 

Catra spotted her quickly and waved her over, pointing to a seat next to her. On her other side was a tall, strong-looking man Adora figured was her cousin Rogelio. As Catra stood, he followed her movements, leaning over to see Adora walking toward the table.

He signed something to Catra too quickly for Adora to understand, and she rolled her eyes before signing back a response. Whatever it was, it made him laugh, and put his hands up in surrender. 

“Hey,” Adora said, giving her a grin as she slid into her seat. 

Under the table, Catra squeezed her hand. “Hey, yourself.”

Adora smiled at her, and would have leaned in to give her a quick kiss if not for the sound of someone clearing their throat across from her. 

The ‘someone’ in question was, as it turned out, Catra’s father. 

He had his arms crossed over his chest and had his eyes narrowed at her. He was shorter than she was, though his chest was broader. “You’re Adora, right?” He asked, looking her up and down. 

Adora gulped a little. “Uh, y-yes, sir,” She said, offering a hand. He took it. “It’s—it’s really great to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about your family.”

“I’m sure.” His eyes narrowed again. They were the same brown as one of Catra’s, and the intensity in his face was all-too-familiar to her. “What are you studying?”

“Oh,” Adora said. “Uh. Business, with a minor in International Relations.”

Catra’s father nodded. Adora was pretty sure he hadn’t blinked in the time they’d been talking. “Let me make something very clear. I don’t know what your intentions are, but if you ever hurt my daughter—”

Next to him, a woman with Catra’s bone structure rolled her eyes and smacked him gently on the arm. “Enough, Angel.” She shook her head a little. “He’s trying to intimidate you,” She said to Adora, shaking her head. “Don’t let him.”

Both of Catra’s parents had laugh lines and crows’ feet, Adora realized. As she watched Angel visibly deflate, turning to face his wife with mild annoyance, she could see humor sparkling in his eyes.

“You weren’t supposed to tell her!” He turned back to Adora. “Camila never lets me have any fun,” He said, shaking his head in mock sorrow.

“Twenty years of marriage, and I’m only just learning what your idea of fun is?” She raised an eyebrow, trying to keep a smile off her face, and for a split second all Adora saw was Catra. 

After a moment of banter between them passed, Angel turned back to Adora. “So, you’re dating my daughter.”

“Yes, sir,” She said, feeling her nerves pick up again. 

“And you’re not a man.”

“Uh, not that I know of, sir.”

He nodded, hiding a smile. “Do you love her?” He asked. There was no malice, no hesitation, no accusation in his tone. It was a simple question, and it was asked simply. 

It was a simple question, and it was _answered_ simply. “I do.” Adora turned to Catra with a small smile, the kind she reserved just for her.

Across the table, Camila said, “When she first told us, we were… surprised—”

“You were?” Catra piped up, frowning. “I went to prom in a suit.”

Camila looked as though she was struggling not to roll her eyes. It reminded Adora so much of Catra she couldn’t help but smile at the sight. “I was there, _mija_. You gonna let me finish?”

Catra nodded. 

“Like I was saying,” Camila continued, “we were surprised when Catra told us you two had found each other. But she wouldn’t stop talking about you, and...” She shrugged. “We want her to be happy. You make her happy.”

“I do my best,” Adora said, smiling again. 

“So there’s not much more to discuss.” Camila gave her a warm smile. “Welcome to the family.”

*** * ***

The rest of Adora’s meeting with her father left a bad taste in her mouth. 

He was concerned about the company’s quarterly earnings being lower than the previous one (though, as she told him, they were up almost 150% from the same time last year), and told her in no uncertain terms that she needed to do better if the company was going to stay afloat.

Privately, she always rolled her eyes when Richard talked like that. 

In Adora’s time as CEO of the company, she’d changed nearly everything. 

She found new ways of transportation that were both more efficient and more environmentally friendly, she made more of an effort in community outreach, and she led a complete restructuring of the pay scales (much to her father’s displeasure). 

One of the many outcomes of those changes was a rapid uptick of both company stock prices and annual earnings. 

Her father could gripe about this quarter all he wanted, but it wouldn’t change the fact that Grayskull Industries was more successful under Adora than it had ever been with him in charge. 

Adora carried that notch on her belt proudly, though it wasn’t something she thought would be wise to bring up.

Her mother was harder to brush off. 

Since her partial separation with Richard a few years ago — which she presented to the public as taking over their London branch in order to keep the cameras away — Elizabeth had been using her family’s manor home in England as a home base.

Being around her family so much meant that every time she called, she had one thing on her mind. Every time, she asked Adora the same question. Tonight was no different. 

“So,” Her mother said. “Are you seeing anyone yet?”

Every time, Adora rolled her eyes. “No, mom. You know how busy I am. And with the case, I don’t really have a lot of free time.”

“You really should find a husband soon,” Elizabeth replied. Adora could picture the insistent look on her face even from across the world. “You’re getting old, darling.”

Adora frowned. “I’m 28.”

“You’re 28, unmarried, and single. And,” She said, gearing up for a familiar line, “no one will want to marry you if you keep cutting your hair and wearing those suits you seem to love so much.”

“You mean no _man_ will want to marry me.”

“Is that not what I said?”

Adora let out a frustrated exhale. “Mom, that’s not— I haven’t wanted to marry a man since I was 4.”

“What you do in your… _private life_ is up to you,” Elizabeth said. “But you know how this family feels about appearances.”

Adora’s first thought was to retort that _I think family’s a bit of a strong word_ ,but she didn’t have the energy to start a fight. Instead, she bit back the words on the tip of her tongue and said, “Look, I-I have to go. Early meeting tomorrow.”

Her mother let out a sigh. “Alright, dear. Your aunt sends her love.” That was a lie. Adora was fairly sure her aunt didn’t know her name.

They hung up soon after, and Adora was left alone in an empty apartment. 

Her first thought was that she would kill for a drink. 

Her second was to get a glass of water instead. 

This was one of the reasons she preferred her office to her apartment: the silence and the emptiness were fucking _suffocating_. 

Adora was used to activity and motion around her, not stillness. It was always either too dark or too bright in her apartment, too. There never seemed to be a good middle ground. 

She briefly considered her options for how to spend the rest of her night. She could finish up the documentary she’d started a few weeks prior, though the thought didn’t appeal to her. She hadn’t read a fiction book in years, so that was a no-go. Nothing good would be on TV this late, either. She was stuck.

Adora felt… itchy. Her fingers tapped a rhythm against the glass, clinking gently against it. 

As if on cue, her eyes landed on the piano. 

It was a beautiful thing: a Steinway baby grand with smooth, polished black wood that had only recently become covered in dust. It had been a present from her parents when she’d taken over the company. 

Adora hadn’t played it in a few years, but as she sipped her water, feeling it run cold through her chest, she found herself drawn to it. 

Adora looked at it for a moment, considering. 

Then, setting her water down gently on her kitchen counter, she walked over to it and lifted the cover. 

She set up the piano carefully, muscle memory kicking in even after years of disuse. When she sat down at the keyboard for the first time in three years, she realized her hands were shaking. Adora took a few deep breaths to calm herself.

As she got ready to play, she wondered briefly which song she should start with. 

She was sure that, once she started playing, her repertoire would quickly come back to her. In the moment, though, all she could think of was Reverie. 

In many ways, it seemed fitting. 

There was a strange, circular sense of deja vu that overtook her as she began to play the opening. Years out of practice meant the movement of her fingers was clunkier than she was used to, but as she played she felt herself remember. 

And then, starting tentatively and growing stronger as she went, music began to waft gently through the hallways of her apartment for the first time in three years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for those of you unfamiliar with reverie, this is my favorite recording of it: 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKGRssiqKV0 
> 
> there are many other ones out there! i just personally hate it when people take the tempo too slow haha


	3. delicate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catra meets with Entrapta. Adora reads an email. Bow and Glimmer return from their trip. 
> 
> Familiarity begins to creep back into their lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi guys! sorry this chapter took so long. for those that don't follow me on tumblr (@brightbolts), the reason is that alex and i finally got to spend time together in person. to make up for it, this chapter is extra long and full of juicy details. hope you guys enjoy! :)

Entrapta was, as it turned out, decidedly _not_ the easiest person to track down. 

It took Catra four missed phone calls, three emails, and no fewer than fifteen text messages to finally set up a time to talk with her about her involvement with the patent. 

After a few days of planning, they decided on lunch. It was easy, it was quick, and if it went terribly, at least Catra would get a meal out of it. 

She arrived in one of her less-fancy suits, feeling like it would be appropriate given the casual setting and the undertones of business. 

She spotted Entrapta instantly. 

Given the pink hair, the motor oil-stained shirt, and the safety glasses that sat seemingly forgotten on her forehead, it would have been hard not to. She seemed to notice Catra around the same time, because her face lit up in a gleeful grin and she started waving. 

Inwardly, Catra sighed. _Keep it professional_ , She reminded herself as she walked over. 

“Hi. Entrapta, right? The engineer?” Catra asked, giving her a small smile. She offered a hand for Entrapta to shake as she pulled her chair out. Entrapta took it after a moment, shaking excitedly. “I’m Catra Horde. Nice to meet you.”

“You said you needed to talk about the prosthetic?” Entrapta asked, visibly brightening. “Sorry it took me so long to get in touch. With all the experiments, all the projects, I mean— you know how it is.”

Catra did not, in fact, know how it was. She blinked. “Right. Well, thanks for meeting me. Uh. You— do you mind if I record this?” 

“Oooh, a recorder?” Entrapta said, brightening. “I use one of those, too. What’s yours for?”

“Um. Recording?” Catra said, suddenly unsure as to whether that was the right answer. “Is that okay?”

Entrapta nodded. “Absolutely. Ask away.”

Catra pressed _record_ on the voice memo she had opened and readied herself. “So, about the prosthetic, you said you filed the patent—”

“Right now, I don’t actually know when it’s going to be ready, but it’s going to be _revolutionary_ ,” Entrapta said. The words came out fast enough to leave Catra reeling in her seat. “The casing is supposed to be as close to the texture of skin as possible, so I made it out of a silicone composite to provide maximum accuracy—”

“Uh,” Catra interrupted. “I-I thought I was clear in my email. Sorry. Uh, I-I don’t need to know about the specifics. That sounds really cool, though,” She offered weakly, watching Entrapta visibly deflate. “I’m Grayskull Industries’ lawyer. I’m here about the patent.”

“Oh.” 

Catra shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “Yeah. Can you—can you give me a timeline of how the whole process happened?”

Entrapta let out a sigh. “Fine. Let’s see,” She said, leaning back. 

Catra’s eyes flicked down to the plate in front of her to see that Entrapta had not only ordered without her, she’d ordered _pancakes_ without her. Given their size, they were from the kids’ menu. 

Her eyes flicked down to her watch. It was well past one o’clock. Catra had to fight to refocus her attention when Entrapta started talking again.

“A year or so ago, Glimmer— you know Glimmer, right?” At Catra’s nod, Entrapta continued. “A few years ago, we came up for the idea. It wasn’t much at first, but once I came up with a few preliminary designs, it started getting more real. She spent a while developing the Second Skin, which is the silicone composite I was talking about, while I worked on the innards.”

Catra nodded a little. She jotted down a few stray notes on the legal pad before her. The recording would have everything she needed, but something about the feeling of pen and paper helped her remember. “Okay. And that was okay with you?”

“Oh, sure. She’s always been much better at the—” Entrapta waved a hand through the air, nearly knocking over the small vase on the table, “—more biological stuff. I’m a mechanics gal through and through.”

“Sure.”

“So, anyway, I worked on the actual arm, and, _God_.It was beautiful,” Entrapta said, almost wistful. “It was rough at first, of course, but once I figured out a place for the neural interface to link, it worked like a charm.”

Catra nodded. “Do you know about when that would’ve been, timing-wise?”

Entrapta thought for a moment. “Last fall. Around the end of October. The 28th or 29th, maybe.”

“Oh, nice,” Catra said lightly. At Entrapta’s confused look, she explained, “My birthday is on the 28th.”

Entrapta nodded. “That sounds right. I remember it, actually, because we threw a party in the office. Adora was there, too, but she wasn’t drinking. I-I think she said something about a two-year anniversary.” She shrugged. “I just remember because she caught Glimmer when she fell off a table.”

 _Mid-October_ , a small voice in Catra’s head echoed. _Two-year anniversary_. There was a link there, she knew. She could feel a twist in her gut at the thought. 

But this wasn’t the right time to dwell on it. Catra cleared her throat. “Right. So—so it was last October, and you left Grayskull…”

“In late November,” Entrapta said. “It wasn’t anything personal, though! Prime Tech offered me a better position with a _much_ more advanced lab, and with the patent already filed, I figured it wouldn’t be an issue.”

“But it _was_ an issue.”

“Apparently,” Entrapta shrugged. “I only thought about asking them about ownership _after_ I’d signed the contract.”

“So, to—to be clear, it was filed under your name while you were with Grayskull, but—”

“But it was _official_ when I started with Prime.” Entrapta nodded. “That seems to be the case.”

“So it’s a question of which one of them gets to access it,” Catra muttered to herself. In a louder voice, she said, “Well, thanks for meeting me. I’ll let you know how the suit turns out.”

“Oh, are you leaving already?” 

Catra fidgeted. “I have a meeting downtown. I-I should tell Ado—” She swallowed. “I have to tell Ms. Grayskull what you told me.”

Entrapta nodded. “Alright. Well, it was fun talking to you. Let me know if you ever want to hear about the actual project.”

“Right,” Catra said. She hoped her voice didn’t sound as halfhearted as it felt. Try as she might, her eyes tended to glaze over when she heard engineers talk about their work. Glimmer always got annoyed with her in college about it. “You know, I’m pretty busy, but I have a friend I think you’d like. Her name’s Scorpia. I-I think you’d get along.”

“I’m not sure what to do with that information,” Entrapta said, beaming at her. “Have a good day, Catra Horde.”

“You too,” Catra said, and found that she meant it. 

It hadn’t been a long meeting, which she was grateful for. The lack of traffic meant Catra was able to make her way quickly to the Grayskull Industries building. Not twenty minutes after their lunch had ended, she found herself at Adora’s door once again.

Her assistant — Eliza, Catra thought, but wasn’t sure — was in the middle of a phone call. Her eyes seemed to light up in recognition when she saw Catra, and gave her a nod. 

Catra assumed that the gesture meant she was okay to go in and made her way to the door. 

The first three or four times she’d been to Adora’s office, it had taken her a few seconds of collecting herself before she was able to walk inside. 

Today, that wasn’t the case. Catra barely realized her hand was on the door until it was turning the knob. The thought made her hesitate for half a second, making the door stutter as it swung open, and she tried to shake it off as she looked over to see Adora in a far more casual outfit than she was expecting.

Maybe casual was the wrong word. 

Adora was, after all, still in one of the crisp white button-downs she was so fond of. But the sleeves were rolled up, the collar was undone, and there was a hint of a white undershirt peeking out from where it hung open. She had on a pair of suspenders, too. 

Unfortunately, it was an _excellent_ look on her. If Catra let her eyes linger for a moment, she wouldn’t admit it.

“Oh,” Adora said, blinking in surprise. She had her glasses on, Catra realized. They weren’t the same frames as she’d had in college, but they weren’t far off. Even now, years later, she still made them work unfairly well.

Adora took them off as she stood up, resting them atop the paperwork she’d been combing. “Hi. I wasn’t expecting you today, Ms. Horde.”

“Right,” Catra said, eyes lingering on the hollow of her throat. “Um. Well, I-I finally got to meet with Entrapta, so I figured I should come by and give you the rundown of what she told me.” 

Adora nodded. “That makes sense. Hit me.”

“Well,” Catra started, “basically, it’s the same issue we talked about. She filed the patent while she was working here, but it was approved after she started at Prime. She also told me that Glimmer was involved with making the outer layer of the prosthetic, so we might be able to use that in our argument.”

On any other day, Adora would nod in understanding and say something like _well, thank you for letting me know_ or _it sounds like you’re on top of it_. She’d avoid eye contact and be as tense as possible for the rest of the meeting. That was their new normal.

Today, Adora cocked her head to the side and stared at her with what looked like a somewhat confused, poorly-hidden smile. She didn’t say a word. 

Her silence prompted Catra to ask, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Sorry,” Adora said, looking down for a moment. “Just…” She shrugged, turning back to Catra with the ghost of that same smile on her face. “You could’ve sent an email, Ms. Horde.”

Catra blinked. “Excuse me?”

“I— forgive me, but… you said it yourself.” Adora raised her eyebrows as if to prove her point. “We already knew all that.”

There was an implication in her words that Catra bristled at. “Look, I don’t know what you’re—”

“And I-I don’t want to imply—” Adora blinked. “Sorry, you first.”

“I’m just doing my job, Ms. Grayskull. Do you want me to come around less?” 

“No!” Adora said instantly. The word hung between them for a moment before Adora shook her head a little. “No, you’re right. You’re—you’re just doing your job. I’m sorry for implying anything otherwise.”

“It’s fine.” The two of them were quiet for a few moments, suffocating in the thick tension between them, before Catra closed her eyes. Adora wasn’t wrong, after all. The contents of the meeting could’ve been contained in an email, and there _was_ another reason Catra had come by in person.

Catra cleared her throat. “Um. I mean, you’re right. The meeting isn’t the only reason I’m here.”

There was a flash of a frown across Adora’s face. “Then why—”

“I wanted to know if you had any updates on Angella,” Catra said quietly, eyes dipping down. “I’ve just been thinking about her a lot.”

She didn’t have to be looking to see Adora’s face soften instantly. “Oh,” She murmured. “Of course.” Adora took a moment to search for the words. “Glimmer is in Seattle for another couple of days. Bow left this morning, but that was just because he had to find a substitute at work.”

Catra realized dully that she didn’t know what _Bow’s_ _work_ meant now. She was pretty sure she could still recite his favorite movies off the top of her head, and she didn’t know what he did for a living. It was odd to know so much and so little about a person at the same time. “Where does he work?”

“Where—” Adora blinked. “Oh. Right. He teaches social studies at a local high school. The kids all love him,” She added.

“Of course they do,” Catra murmured, smiling at the thought. She let herself think about staff pictures and homework assignments for a moment before she shook her head. “Anyway. You were saying?”

“According to Bow, they’re flying home in a few days.” Adora let out a small sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Angella is still stable right now, but from what Bow told me, hearing the prognosis was…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “Hell.”

Catra felt her heart ache for a moment. “I can imagine.”

Adora nodded. “But her family is all together right now,” She said. “Frosta even came down from Alaska to stay with them for a few weeks.”

The mention of Frosta made Catra smile to herself again. 

Glimmer’s adopted sister was — if she remembered correctly — about six or seven years younger than them, which put her in her last year of college. When Catra met her, she was twelve, and had punched her directly in the gut for saying that Fall Out Boy’s newest album wasn’t as good as their previous one.

“That’s good,” Catra said, nodding a little. “I’m glad they got to be together like that.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

They fell again into an awkward, thick silence, but this time it was Adora who broke it. “Listen, I hate to kick you out, but I really have to finish up this paperwork before I leave today.”

“Can’t you do it tomorrow? I thought you were always here on weekends.”

“No,” Adora huffed, rolling her eyes a little. “No, the board is making me stay out of office for half a week because I never use my vacation days. I’m gonna try to finish up what I can before I leave today.”

Somehow, that was the least surprising thing Adora had told her so far. She’d always been too invested in her work. Catra remembered many, _many_ weekends and sleepy mornings overshadowed by deadlines and due dates. 

“What if I need to reach you?” Catra blurted. She blinked, a little stunned that she’d asked, and watched Adora’s eyes widen in surprise. 

“Well.” Adora cleared her throat. “Um. You—you have my cell, and my email, but if you need to drop something off, I... could leave you my home address.”

The words came out timid, as if they’d tiptoed out of her, and Catra felt a momentary flash of suspicion. “We’ll see,” She said instantly. “Your cell and email should be fine. If I _really_ need to deliver something, then… we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Adora seemed to understand the unspoken hesitation. Her eyes dipped down as she spoke. “Of course, Ms. Horde. Whichever is more convenient for you.”

Catra nodded. Her hands were itching by her sides, and she tapped a finger idly against the briefcase by her side. “Right. Well, I should really be going.”

“Of course,” Adora said, standing. “Um. Well, let me know if there’s anything else you need. I’ll be here.” She paused. “Well, I-I won’t be _here_ , but I’ll be available.”

Catra fought the urge to roll her eyes. It was harder to fight the small smile that crept onto her face. Unfortunately, she still found Adora’s quirks and awkward pauses endearing after all these years. “I know,” She said. “Um. Can you let me know if anything happens with Angella?”

“Of course,” Adora said softly. There was a hint of vulnerability, of understanding in her voice that made Catra’s jaw tighten. “Yeah. Of course I will.” 

Catra nodded. On any other day, she would’ve just left. Something about today made her pause at the door. “I’ll see you later, Ms. Grayskull.”

Adora gave her a small, tentative smile. “Until next time, Ms. Horde.”

*** * ***

_NINE YEARS EARLIER._

It should have been a beautiful night. 

Snow was falling slowly and steadily outside, the radio was playing one of Catra’s favorite Christmas songs, and the smell of (slightly burnt) homemade cookies wafted gently through their apartment. 

November had crept up on the two of them this year. Adora and Catra had been too engrossed in class loads and living with each other to focus on the seasons changing. But as the nights grew darker and the air became cold, it was hard (even for them) to miss the departure into winter. 

Their apartment didn’t have a fireplace — their landlord had shuddered when Catra brought it up, and told her a cautionary tale about kerosene and a few ill-fated college students that still kept her awake at night — but the heating unit was sturdy and steady. 

Catra could hear its gentle hum as she took the latest batch of cookies out of the oven. She couldn’t go home for their break this year, but she wouldn’t let that stop her. 

Officially, Thanksgiving wasn’t for six more days. Unofficially, Catra figured they’d earned a little bit of holiday spirit.

As she took them out, she realized with a spike of chagrin that they were burnt. She figured Adora wouldn’t mind, though. She’d never been a picky eater.

It shouldhave been a beautiful night. 

It would have been, too, if not for the dim glow of Adora’s laptop where she sat at the table. 

Catra let out a small sigh, crossing her arms over her chest. Adora was writing something down, taking furious notes on a video she’d been assigned for class, and Catra could practically feel her own back aching from the position she was hunched in. 

“Adora, it’s been three hours,” Catra said, walking over. She put a hand on Adora’s back and rubbed gently. “C’mon. You can take a quick break.”

“In a minute,” came Adora’s reply. Catra could hear the weariness in her voice. “I’m almost done.”

“Are you going to work this hard for all of our break? None of those assignments are due until December.”

Adora let out a sharp exhale. “Yeah, but I want to make sure I’m staying on top of everything.”

“You’ve had a 4.0 every semester we’ve been here.”

“Yeah, but still.” Adora shook her head. “It’s my worst subject. I have to make sure I understand it before the final comes around.” 

Catra rolled her eyes. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen Adora act like this, and she sighed inwardly as she acknowledged that it wouldn’t be the last. “Fine. When you finish, come have a cookie.”

“Did you burn these ones?” Adora asked, not looking up from where she was copying down a formula. 

_Calculus notes_ , Catra thought dimly. _Gross._ “Of course I did.”

A smile crept onto Adora’s face. “Then I’ll be right over.”

As it turned out, _right over_ meant another thirty-four minutes (Catra counted) of Adora’s pencil scribbling furiously on the notebook beside her. 

In the meantime, Catra had curled up on their couch. It was late. She had been hoping to watch a movie with Adora, but the clock read _11:31_ already.

The heating had clicked off nearly twenty minutes before, and she could feel the cold settling inside her. There was a blanket on the cushion next to her, but wrapping it around herself didn’t give her much comfort. 

Finally, she heard the quiet _click_ of Adora closing her computer. 

She heard the scrape of the chair on the ground, heard a faint groan as Adora straightened her back, and then heard slow, heavy footsteps making their way over to her.

Adora slumped onto the couch a second later. Tired arms wound their way around Catra, pulling her closer, and she let out a deep exhale. 

“I’m sorry it took so long,” Adora murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. 

“‘S’okay,” Catra said, giving her a small smile. Adora was warm, which was nice. Catra slid her hand under the hem of her shirt and pressed it against her stomach, feeling Adora jump at the sudden coldness of the touch. “You’re here now.”

“I am,” Adora nodded. After a second, she stiffened in her seat. “Shit. The cookies, I-I didn’t get to—”

Catra put her free hand on Adora’s arm and squeezed lightly. “All of ‘em are probably cold now, anyway.” Adora worried at her lip, glancing over, and Catra squeezed again. “Hey. It’s okay, Adora.”

“Promise?”

Despite herself, Catra smiled. “Promise.”

With a small, hesitant nod, Adora settled back into the couch. She kicked off her shoes, throwing her legs up in front of her, and let out a small yawn as she repositioned herself into a more comfortable position. “You still wanna watch that movie?”

“Yeah. It’s kinda late, though. Are you gonna make it through the whole thing?”

Adora nodded firmly. “Absolutely. Of course I am.”

Exactly sixteen minutes later, Adora was snoring softly beside her. Her arms were still tightly wrapped around Catra, and every so often she made a small noise in her sleep. 

The movie was a lost cause right now, but that was okay. They would try again in the morning. 

Trying not to disturb her partner, Catra turned the TV off. 

She put a hand on Adora’s arm and shook gently. “Hey, sleepyhead,” She said quietly, watching Adora’s brow furrow in her sleep. “Come on. Let’s go to bed.”

“‘Kay. ‘M sorry,” Adora mumbled. “Can we watch it t’morrow?”

Any lingering irritation Catra had at what had happened melted at the sleep in Adora’s voice. “Of course, babe. Always.”

It took some effort to get her up and off the couch, but Catra managed. Adora yawned behind her, fumbling for her hand in the dark. Catra pressed a kiss to her knuckles before guiding her to their shared room. 

Once in bed, Adora seemed to relax again. She pulled Catra closer with sleepy, insistent hands, and only seemed to be satisfied when Catra cuddled up into her. 

“You work a lot,” Catra mumbled into her chest.

Adora tried to blink the sleep from her eyes. “Yeah. I-I’m sorry it messed up our plans.”

“S’okay.”

“It’s not.” Adora let out a quiet sigh. Somehow, she seemed more awake now than she had been moments earlier. “I— I know this is supposed to be a break. I just want to get it all out of the way now so that my dad—” She cut herself off quickly, but Catra heard the slip. “So that my _grades_ are okay going into finals.”

If it hadn’t been past midnight, Catra might have pressed it. But it was, and she was already half-asleep in the strong, warm arms of the woman she loved. 

“We can talk about it in the morning,” She said, propping herself up to try and look Adora in the eyes. She leaned up to press a gentle, reassuring kiss to her lips. “I love you.”

Adora put a hand on the side of her face and leaned in to close the gap between them again. “I love you too,” She mumbled against Catra’s lips. “Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” Catra yawned, straining a little as she pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I get it.”

“Alright, but—but if it ever gets too much—”

“Adora, I love you, but can we _please_ go to sleep?” Catra interrupted, feeling Adora let out a small laugh underneath her. 

Catra closed her eyes, feeling Adora card her fingers gently through her hair. “Yeah, baby,” She said, letting out an exhale as she settled against the pillows. “We can.”

*** * ***

Adora had just made it back to her apartment when she heard a knock at the door. 

She was still wearing the clothes she’d been in last night — one-night stands tended to work out that way, after all — and sighed as she tried to adjust her collar to hide the marks on her neck. 

This was not the first time the company had asked her to take a day off — and it wouldn’t be the last — but much as she liked to complain about it, the breaks did afford her a chance to, ahem, relieve some stress. 

Her routine was usually the same.

She would go to a club in a different part of town that catered to people in her price range, spend the night flirting with a businesswoman older than her (or the bartender, which had happened a few times), and she would inevitably end up stumbling back to her apartment the next day.

It wasn’t a new part of her life. The first time she’d done it was years ago, when she drank more whiskey than water. 

Back then, the sex was more of a coping mechanism than anything else. 

There was so much Adora wanted to do in her day-to-day life that bureaucracy and board members had taken from her. 

She wanted to implement new, better company policies. She wanted to change their public image, to shift the company’s attention to real, present problems rather than trying to compete for money they didn’t need. It weighed on her for years for the simple reason that she couldn’t _fix_ it.

After she’d taken over the position of CEO and started many of those things, the time she spent in other women’s beds had lessened. Now, Adora only did it when she had something weighing on her. Exercise could only do so much, after all.

It wasn’t healthy. Adora knew that. It wasn’t worth the constant NDAs, the fear of being recognized, or the hints of shame that followed her out the door.

But even after six years, there was only one person she wanted a real relationship with, and that ship had long since sailed.

The knock sounded again, more insistent this time, and Adora let out a small groan as she jogged over to open the door. “Guys, I thought we were doing brunch next week—”

The words died in her throat when she saw Catra, poised with her fist still in the air, standing in front of her. 

Adora had never been more aware of what she was wearing than that moment. 

_Shit_.

Catra startled as the door opened. “Jesus. You scared— wait,” She said, frowning. “Are you wearing the same clothes as yesterday?”

“Um.” Adora blinked. “Yes?”

“Why are you—” Unfortunately, Adora saw the exact moment Catra realized _exactly_ why she was. Her eyes dipped down to Adora’s open collar before they widened in surprise. 

“...Oh.”

This was horrible. This was the absolute worst-case scenario. 

Adora fumbled for some way to change the subject, knowing nothing would take away from the thick, suffocating embarrassment she was radiating. “Was there— was there something you needed?”

Blushing, Catra lifted a small stack of files. “Just had a few things I wanted to drop off.”

“Oh!” Adora nodded. “Yeah. Absolutely. Um, you— please, come in,” She said, realizing she’d been blocking the doorway the entire time. “I don’t have much to eat or drink, but if you—if you want coffee I’d be happy to put on a pot—”

“Nope,” Catra said tightly. “That’s okay.” 

Adora shifted where she stood. “Well, please, come in. I-I’m probably going to need you to explain those documents, so…” She trailed off weakly as she took a step back, letting the door swing open in a clear invitation. 

Catra seemed to consider it for a moment. Her jaw twitched. “Yeah. Sure,” She said tightly. “Lead the way.”

“I’m gonna change into something that’s… not this,” Adora said, walking past the kitchen. She let her hand linger on the piano for a moment as she passed it. If she had been looking, she would have seen Catra’s eyes track the movement and stay there.

She turned around in time to see Catra’s eyes widen even more when she saw the interior of the apartment. “Wow. Um. This is— Jesus, do you live in a furniture catalog?”

Adora tried to hide the small smile on her face. “It’s a little fancy, yeah.” She put her hands on her hips in a position she hoped looked natural. Given Catra’s confused expression, it didn’t. “Uh. Make yourself at home. I-I’ll be right back.”

True to her word, she was back in her kitchen less than two minutes later. She’d traded the white shirt and suspenders for an old, faded red hoodie that read _Harvard_ across it, and had changed into a pair of sensible chinos rather than the neatly-ironed dress pants she had worn the previous day. 

Catra had been walking around the apartment, but she stopped when she saw Adora. Her jaw seemed to tighten again as she stared at the now-faded white lettering on the hoodie. 

Adora remembered too late that it had been one of her favorites during their time together. 

“Oh,” She breathed. “Shit. Do you— I can change if it bothers—”

“Why would it bother me?” Catra interrupted, looking firmly at a spot on the wall behind her. “I’m fine, Ms. Grayskull.” She swallowed. “Which documents did you need clarification on?”

Adora felt the small, tentative smile on her face slide off. “Right. Uh, any of the patent litigation ones. I’m not as familiar with the legal language as you.”

“This whole case is about patent litigation.”

Adora fought the urge to roll her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

Catra’s jaw ticked again, and she let out a sigh. “There _is_ one I need you to read,” She admitted. “Prime’s legal team sent me this last night. I thought you should see it.”

She pulled out the first piece of paper from the file and handed it to Adora, who frowned at it. The text was a little too small for her to read, but her glasses were sitting on the table next to her. She slid them on, blinking as she adjusted, and heard Catra take in a faint inhale of breath across from her. 

“Everything okay?” Adora asked, frowning quizzically at her. 

Catra’s eyes were wide again. “Yeah. Sorry.” She looked as though she’d seen a ghost. Between the glasses and the old, familiar hoodie, Adora realized dimly that she probably had.

Trying to focus on something else, Adora began to skim the paper. It was an email that had been printed out. 

Whoever had written it was a master of niceties and attempts at peace, but between the formalities and polite language, there was a clear message.

 _We appreciate your dedication to the patent’s use, and believe that it will help many of the world’s citizens,_ it read. _However, as Dr. Dryl now works in our R &D department, Prime Technology expects to receive full rights to its use. Should the suit be dropped, any and all legal costs to Grayskull Industries will be reimbursed._

In other words, _fuck off_. 

Adora couldn’t help but let out a dry, humorless chuckle as she read it. “Fuckers. If they want us to drop the suit this bad, it’s because they know we have a case.”

Catra hummed. “We do,” She said. “But it _also_ means they’re not going to give up on it. If they play their cards right, they could try and stretch this out for months. Years, even.”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“And how do you know that?” Catra asked, raising her eyebrows. 

Somewhere in between the haze of sleep deprivation and the annoyance the email had planted in her, Adora heard herself say, “Because they don’t have you on their side.” 

Adora didn’t have to look at Catra to see her eyes widen.

On some level, she regretted the words the instant they left her. She knew Catra didn’t want them getting too familiar with each other, and she wanted to respect the boundaries she had set as much as possible. 

On the other hand, it was true. Catra had always been the smartest person in the room, even back in undergrad. Adora had had full confidence in her ability to win this case since the first time they’d met in her office, awkwardness and tension be damned. 

Catra hadn’t spoken yet. When she did, it came out flustered. “That was—”

At the same time, Adora said, “I-I’m sorry—”

Both of them stopped to let the other speak, but this time Adora didn’t let Catra get the chance. “That was a little too--” She sighed. “Too familiar. I’m sorry. I-I won’t say anything like it again.”

“Oh.” Catra blinked. “Um. I was going to say it was… really nice.”

Adora felt a smile flicker onto her face. “Well, I-I meant it, but I don’t— I mean, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or anything.”

“It’s okay,” Catra said, eyes still wide. Her brow furrowed a little as she realized that the words were genuine. “I-I should go, though. Meetings and… stuff.” It was a weak lie, but she knew Adora wouldn’t press her on it.

Sure enough, she nodded. “Of course. I-I’m sorry for keeping you.”

As they stood, she couldn’t stop herself from staring again at the dark red marks on Adora’s neck. “Enjoy the rest of your time off, Ms. Grayskull.”

Adora winced a little, rushing, “It’s not— the marks, they’re not from anything serious or—”

Catra held up a hand. “No, I’m sorry, I-I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s not—” She shook her head. “It’s not my place.” Adora looked like she had something else she wanted to say, but Catra wouldn’t let her. “I’m just your lawyer, remember?”

“Right,” Adora said faintly, watching Catra open the door. “Just my lawyer.”

*** * ***

_EIGHT YEARS EARLIER._

After spending so much time in the Northeast, Adora had almost forgotten how beautiful Colorado was. Then again, she figured it would be hard to find Aspen anything but gorgeous. 

The Rockies were capped with fresh snow from a blizzard that had come through a few nights before, and Adora smiled as soon as she saw them. Something about being surrounded by hills and mountains always made her feel more at ease. 

Maybe it was the fact that she’d spent so much time in Manhattan. Perhaps, among the forested hills, she got the feeling that she was looking at the most ancient form of skyscrapers that existed. 

It was cold, too.

In terms of temperature, it wasn’t much different than Massachusetts had been, but this was different. 

This was a dry, moistureless cold, one that chapped her lips and set an ache firmly in her throat almost as soon as she stepped off the plane in Denver. 

It was made a little more worth it when they got to the house. It was an interesting blend of sleekness and rustic charm, with a log cabin exterior and an interior with high-speed internet and stainless steel appliances.

“You know, most people go to the beach for spring break,” Catra grumbled next to her. She was bundled up on their bed in Adora’s hoodie, and hadn’t moved from the spot in nearly thirty minutes. Adora was next to her, rubbing her back and thumbing through a guidebook she’d found in the airport.

Adora had expected a _little_ more fanfare from her, but in Catra’s defense, it had been a bit of a harrowing trip. Given the icy roads and steep mountain drives, it was one that Adora’s driving ability — sourced straight from the streets of Manhattan — didn’t make any more comforting. 

Plus, it was fucking _cold._ It was hard to blame her for wanting to hunker down for a minute.

Adora smiled as she looked over at her girlfriend. She scooted over to pull Catra into her side and linked their fingers together. “Were you really gonna turn down a free week in a fancy ski chalet?”

“No,” Catra sighed, burrowing deeper into her. She felt Adora jump underneath her when she slid an icy hand up her shirt to rest on the firm, toned stomach underneath. “Your parents might suck, but they were pretty cool for letting us all come here.”

“I— hey, ” Adora protested weakly. Catra looked up at her with raised, disbelieving eyebrows, and Adora sighed. “They’re doing their best. They’re just... busy.”

Luckily for Catra, she was spared from answering by a knock at their door. 

Bow’s muffled voice sounded from behind it. “Hey, Adora, where did you say the trash was?” As she opened her mouth to answer, he continued, “Also, I think I saw a raccoon outside our window, and I don’t know what to do about it. Do we— do we call animal control?”

Adora let out a sigh, pressing a kiss to Catra’s forehead before she stood up. “Duty calls,” She said, extricating herself from Catra’s grasp. “Hey, if you come out into the living room, I’ll make a fire.”

Catra narrowed her eyes. “That better be a promise, Grayskull.”

“Of course it is,” Adora said. She reached out to squeeze Catra’s hand before giving her a wink. “I’ll make us some hot chocolate, too.” Catra was still unconvinced, and Adora let out a sigh. “Come on. Bow and Glimmer have been shitting themselves about how nice the kitchen is, and we both know I’m not much of a cook.”

“Fine,” Catra said. “But only if I get to keep this hoodie. It suits me.”

“You _do_ look good in red.”

“Damn right I do.” With a groan, Catra threw the covers off of her. Her body gave one last overdramatic shiver for good measure before she walked over to Adora. “Don’t you have a raccoon to wrangle?”

“To _wrangle_?” Adora repeated. “I mean, I was gonna let Animal Control take care—”

“Adora.”

She sighed. “Fine. I’ll be back, okay?”

The door clicked closed after her, and Catra could hear Adora asking Bow with a long-suffering, weary sigh where he’d seen it. She smiled to herself, and began to really, truly take a look around the room.

As cold as it was, the house was _beautiful_. 

There were not one, but _two_ master bedrooms, so the two couples — well, _one_ couple, though Bow and Glimmer had ‘platonically’ decided to share the other master bedroom — had plenty of space to spread out. 

As if the news couldn’t get any better, the two rooms were on opposite sides of the house. 

_That_ meant…

Well, without going into too much detail, Catra had been looking forward to this trip for a _long_ time. 

A week in a fancy, beautiful house with the love of her life was already heaven, but the addition of a Jacuzzi, a bed that was probably worth more than her yearly rent, and weather so cold she just _had_ to cuddle up in Adora’s arms was too good to pass up. 

Adora had finished all of her work before they left (which was something Catra probably needed to talk with her about, since she hadn’t slept right in weeks), so there would be no distraction. 

Just them, the slopes, and the sex. Catra didn’t know how to ski, so her experience would largely revolve around the other two. She was more than okay with that.

Still, Adora was right. Familiarizing herself with the house couldn’t hurt.

She made her way into the living room to see Glimmer standing at the kitchen counter lost in thought. “Hey,” Catra said, frowning a little. “You okay?”

“Huh? Oh. Yeah, just—” Glimmer let out a frustrated sigh. “Look, if I tell you this, you have to promise not to tell anyone else.”

Catra raised an eyebrow. “Intriguing. I’m in.”

Glimmer searched her face for a moment. “I— you know how Bow and I are sharing a room?”

 _So_ that’s _where this is going_ , Catra thought, keeping her face carefully neutral. “Uh huh.”

“Do you think he—” Glimmer squeezed her eyes shut. “I mean, you know I have—” She leaned in close, as if admitting some dark secret, “ _feelings_ for him. Do you think he knows?”

Catra blinked. “Seriously?”

“What?”

“Glimmer, I—” Catra shook her head. “Wow. First of all, if he didn’t, he’d be even blinder than Adora trying to read fine print. Second of all, have you really not seen the way he looks at you?”

“How does he look at me?”

“Like he wants to propose on the spot.”

For a moment, Glimmer just stared at her. “So you think if I kiss him, he’ll kiss me back?”

“It worked with Adora and I,” Catra shrugged. “Probably.”

“Can’t argue with that.” After a beat, Glimmer narrowed her eyes. “You two are going to have sex tonight, aren’t you?”

“Oh, for sure. Many times,” Catra said. “Probably loudly.”

“Is she loud?”

“Not at all.”

“So then how— oh,” Glimmer said, wrinkling her nose. “Ew. Gross.”

Catra shrugged, giving her a grin. “I think you’re deflecting, Sparkles. You’re just asking because you wanna bone Bow in that big, fluffy bed, don’t you?”

“I’m never talking to you about anything sensitive again.” Turning away from her for a second, Glimmer walked towards an unsuspecting brown paper bag on the counter. 

She’d gotten a reasonably good fake the last time she was in Seattle, and had made them stop at a liquor store on the drive up. Catra wasn’t about to complain.

She pouted. “Aw, come on. I can’t make a joke?”

Glimmer took out a fresh bottle of vodka and unscrewed the cap. _Whispering Woods_ , Catra thought, looking at the bluish-green tint to the bottle. _Her favorite_. “Absolutely not. Never again.”

“Nooo!” Catra said, drawing out the vowel plaintively. She paused for a moment, watching Glimmer take a generous swig of vodka, and sighed. 

“Okay, listen. Honestly, I think it’s nice that you’re talking to me about this.”

Glimmer paused with the bottle halfway to her lips and narrowed her eyes. “Uh huh.”

“I’m serious! I mean, I-I have a sister, but she’s a lot younger, and—” Catra shrugged. “I dunno. It just... feels nice that you talk to me about stuff like—” When she turned back to Glimmer, she cut herself off at the sight of tears welling in her eyes. “Oh. Oh, no. No, I didn’t—”

“You going soft on me, Horde?” Glimmer asked, her voice wavering. 

Allowing herself a brief, genuine moment of connection, Catra smiled. “Maybe a little.”

The sound of the front door opening captured both of their attention, as did the sound of Adora wincing in pain. When she got closer, Catra saw parallel lines of angry, bloody scratches down her arm. _Both_ of their arms, she realized, looking at Bow. 

Her eyes flew open. “Holy fuck, guys, are you—”

“We’re okay,” Adora nodded. “It wasn’t a raccoon.”

“It was one of the neighbors’ cats,” Bow admitted sheepishly. “It got stuck in one of the bushes beside the house.”

“What about the scratches?” Catra asked, eyeing them warily. Her idea of a perfect trip did _not_ include taking Adora to the hospital to get tested for rabies. 

Adora shrugged. “Poor guy got scared when I reached in to get him out. Honestly, I’ve had worse. But we called the owner down the street and brought him back, and now everyone’s safe and sound.”

Glimmer was looking at Bow with an odd mix of amusement, fondness, and pure, unrestrained love. “What a hero,” She said, giving him a smile. 

Bow shrugged, puffing his chest a little. “That’s me. Guilty as charged.”

“You’re such a dork.”

“Hey, you’re talking to a wounded warrior,” He said, pointing to the blood drying on his arm.

“Oh, my mistake,” Glimmer grinned. “Thank you for your service, sir.”

Catra looked over at Adora with wide eyes. Adora raised her eyebrows at her in return.

“Wow, those scratches look pretty bad,” Catra said, making direct eye contact. “Let me take care of those for you.”

Adora understood instantly what she meant, and nodded. “Yep. Yeah, that sounds like a great idea.”

Glimmer and Bow were too caught up in staring into each other’s eyes to notice, which gave them the perfect opportunity to leave. 

When the door to their room closed, Adora let out a chuckle and flopped down onto the bed. “They’re not gonna last much longer.”

“Oh, absolutely not,” Catra said, pulling her in for a chaste, sweet kiss. “If they don’t announce that they’re a couple tomorrow morning, we’ve failed as friends.”

Adora laughed against her, and pulled away for a second to smile at her. She paused for a second.“You’re my best friend. You know that?”

It wasn’t the first time Catra had heard it, but it still took her breath away for a second. “Of course I do. You’re mine.”

This time, when Adora moved in to kiss her, it was slow and sure. Catra’s breath hitched in her throat as her eyes flicked down to her lips, and she put a hand on Adora’s arm to guide it to her waist.

At the feeling of dried blood under her, Catra remembered why they’d left in the first place, and Adora’s poorly-hidden wince of pain only helped to remind her. “Fuck,” She said. “Sorry, I—”

“It’s okay,” Adora said, pressing another kiss to her lips. “It’s all good.” 

“Do you want me to take a look at it?”

“Nah,” Adora said. “I’ll deal with it in a bit.” She shifted so she was on top of Catra, kissing her slow and hot the way she liked before moving down to her neck. “No way in hell am I leaving this.”

Catra’s eyes fluttered shut at the feeling of Adora’s lips against her skin, and she let out a shaky laugh as her hands moved to Adora’s back. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Ms. Grayskull.”

Adora let out a hot breath of laughter against her, and the feeling sent a shiver down Catra’s spine. “Then I guess I’ll have to remind you.” With a strong, practiced movement, Adora moved Catra’s legs apart and slotted her thigh in between them, hearing Catra’s breath quicken as she did.

Catra’s mind was moving at about half the speed it usually did, so she was still in the middle of forming a rebuttal when she felt Adora start sucking hard at the spot where her neck met her shoulders. 

She couldn’t control the harsh gasp that left her, nor could she help the way her nails dug hard and insistent into Adora’s back muscles. Her hips jolted up to meet the hard, long muscle of Adora’s thigh, and she let out a small whine into the air.

The sudden spike of pain only spurred Adora on. She knew how much Catra liked the marks, and knew she wanted them to be dark enough that they wouldn’t fade for days. If the feeling of Catra grinding against her was anything to go by, she’d made the right decision.

When she was satisfied with her work, she ran her tongue gently over the bruise to soothe it and moved on to a new spot, repeating the same motions until she felt a fist in her hair tug her head up. 

This time, when their lips met, it was needy. There was a desperation to it that Adora was intimately familiar with. In between hot, open-mouthed kisses, she asked, “What do you need, princess?”

Her voice was noticeably lower, and Catra let out a ragged exhale at the sound. “Fuck. More.”

Adora nodded, and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips before asking, “Do you want my fingers or my mouth first?”

“Fingers,” Catra breathed, pulling her in for another hot, needy kiss as her hips jumped up again. “Fuck. Please.”

“You want the hoodie off?” Adora asked, pulling gently at the hem. 

Catra shook her head as her hips jumped again. “I wanna wear it while you fuck me,” She said, hearing the ragged exhale Adora let out at the words. She guided Adora’s hands to where the edge of her sweatpants sat. “Just get these off. Please,” She whined.

“Alright, baby,” Adora said, hooking her fingers into the waistband. “No need to beg.”

“One more thing,” Catra said, putting a hand on Adora’s shoulder to slow her down. She stopped moving instantly, an apology on the tip of her tongue, and Catra continued, “I-I want you to use the toy we bought. The—the strap.”

Adora’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Catra nodded, giving her a kiss. “Why do you think I brought it?”

“To fuck with the TSA agents?”

Catra rolled her eyes, unable to stop herself from smiling. “No, dumbass. I want you to wear it.”

“Are you sure?” Adora repeated. “If it’s too big, I—”

“Prep me first, and it’ll be fine,” Catra said. She put Adora’s hands back on her waist and pushed them down insistently. “Please, baby. Fuck me.”

Adora did. 

It was one of the longer (and more tiring) nights Catra had had in a long while, but the sleep deprivation and the ache between her legs was completely made worth it by the warmth and security of Adora’s arms afterward.

The limp she walked with showed the next morning. When she left her room in one of Adora’s shirts, Glimmer raised her eyebrows where she sat at the table. “Damn. You weren’t kidding about the sex, huh?”

Catra shrugged. “What can I say? I—” Something on Glimmer’s neck caught her attention, and Catra cut herself off. She narrowed her eyes. “Glimmer, is that… a hickey?”

“What?” Glimmer asked, her voice suddenly half an octave higher than it had been before. She clapped a hand to the side of her neck. “I don’t— that’s gross, I-I don’t know—”

“I knew it,” Catra whispered. “I’m telling Adora. Don’t go anywhere.”

“Catra, wait,” Glimmer said quickly. “Just— wait.” Catra did. “I-I really like him.”

“Okay,” Catra nodded. “Congratulations.”

“Like, I _really_ like him.”

“Okay,” Catra repeated.

“For fuck’s sake, Catra,” Glimmer said, dragging her hands down the sides of her face, “I _love_ him.” 

“You do?” came a voice from the other side of the kitchen. Catra turned to see Bow staring at them with a half-hopeful, half-cautious expression on his face. “Seriously?”

Glimmer froze for a moment before she said, “Yeah. I do, Bow.”

“You’re not just saying that because of last night?” He asked, moving closer. Catra took a few steps back to give them some space. 

“God, no,” Glimmer said, shaking her head. “No, I-I’ve felt like that since freshman year.”

“Me too.” A huge, gleeful smile widened on Bow’s face. “I-I love you too. God, this is a mess,” He said, smiling as Glimmer let out a relieved laugh. “Come for a walk with me.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Bow said. “We have a lot to talk about.”

*** * ***

The flight from Seattle was long and tiring, but Bow didn’t mind. 

Truth be told, he had always rather _enjoyed_ long flights. They were bubbles of peace scattered in a hectic life. 

Bow loved the people in his life dearly, but at nearly every other part of the day, he was expected to give to them. They wanted his time, his energy, his attention, all of it. Everything he had to offer was a gift for someone else. 

It wasn’t always their fault. Most of the time, he didn’t mind. Giving to his students, his wife, his parents, and his siblings made him feel proud of himself.

Still, sometimes he just needed a damn _break_. 

The flights gave him time to think. For six hours, he had no one to attend to but himself. When describing the experience to other people, the word he found most applicable was _restorative_.

This flight in particular was no different. 

Bow had been on autopilot for the last week, making runs to the grocery store, the pharmacy, and to whichever place the five of them needed something from to give Glimmer more time with her mother. 

Sometimes Micah went with him, and other times, it was Frosta that sat in his passenger seat. 

Most times, Bow was alone. 

He didn’t mind, really. He had always liked the quiet. Too much of it made him antsy, but the low, steady rumble of Micah’s old pickup truck kept him company. 

His mind tended to wander while he drove, and he liked to think that many of his better ideas had come from behind the wheel. 

Well. In the last seven days, Bow had done a _lot_ of thinking. 

Maybe thinking was a stretch. Bow _worried_. 

He worried about his mother-in-law (who technically wasn’t his mother-in-law). He worried about Frosta and Micah. Most of all, he worried for Glimmer. 

Angella and Glimmer’s relationship had always been more complicated than it appeared, and Bow understood that. He _also_ understood that the idea of losing a parent (especially one so young) was terrifying. 

He had been thinking about the situation since the diagnosis first reached them two years ago. Micah had called Glimmer during one of her pitches to the board, and she had missed it. She’d called him back not twenty minutes later, of course, but — as she’d told Bow in tears that night — she’d _missed it._

That was the first time Bow considered buying an engagement ring. 

He knew that, to him and Glimmer, there was no real difference between being together and being married. Functionally, they already were. They lived together, filed joint taxes, and hyphenated their last names on everything but legal documents. 

Angella and Micah knew this, and had long since supported their union. 

But ever since the prognosis had hit them, Bow hadn’t stopped thinking about having a real, proper, all-out wedding. 

Thanks to years of combined income from their jobs, they could afford it. Their friends had been bothering them for years to finally have a wedding, and Bow figured even his students might get a kick out of hearing about it. That wasn’t what was pushing him to do it. 

Bow’s reason was Angella. 

Assuming the prognosis was accurate and she had a year to live, Bow only had twelve months to give her the chance to see her daughter walk down the aisle. 

Luckily for Bow, Glimmer always fell asleep on plane rides. 

While she snored against his shoulder, he spent all five hours and thirty-eight minutes of the flight looking at list after list of wedding venues, caterers, and florists. 

He had a fairly sizable set of names by the time they landed. 

For flowers, he would go to Perfuma. The two of them had briefly dated in high school, though they’d always been better off as friends, and when she’d come out as both trans and a lesbian a few years prior, he’d given her his full support. 

Perfuma owned and operated a fairly successful flower shop in Boston, and spent her weekends helping tend to Harvard’s Arboretum. When Bow stopped by every two weeks or so to pick up a bouquet for Glimmer, they would catch up. 

As she’d told Bow many, _many_ times, she would be more than happy to help out if they decided to get married. 

As for a venue, Bow figured he’d have to ask Glimmer what she preferred. 

He thought about it for most of the drive home, and was in the middle of asking if she wanted indoor, outdoor, or a mix when he realized he hadn’t actually proposed yet. 

Bow closed his mouth quickly, eyes wide. 

Glimmer was still half-asleep, but she was sharp enough to catch it. “What was that?”

“Nothing,” Bow said, hearing his voice turn squeaky. He adjusted his hands on the steering wheel. “Um. Just—just wondering if you were hungry.”

Glimmer narrowed her eyes. “It’s two in the morning.”

“Never too early for breakfast?” He attempted weakly. 

In any other situation, Glimmer would have pressed him on it. Today, she was too exhausted. “Maybe later,” She said, rubbing the tension out of her forehead. “Shit. I forgot to ask for the day off.”

A barely-formed idea flickered in Bow’s mind. “That’s okay,” He said, clearing his throat. “I’ll go down to Grayskull and tell Adora. I really don’t think she’s gonna make you come in, considering...”

“Considering.” Glimmer nodded. “Okay,” She said. “Do you have to teach tomorrow? Or— today, or— you know what I mean.”

Bow shook his head. “I requested the time off.”

“Okay, good, because there’s no way I’m gonna be able to sleep without you there.”

When they were safe in bed and Glimmer had wrapped herself around Bow’s body the way she’d been doing for almost eight years, he let his mind wander again.

The plan he came up with was risky, he thought, but if it worked all four of them would be better for it. 

He remembered Adora telling him once that on Wednesdays, she had a standing meeting with Catra to go over any case files or issues she had. 

As it happened, today was Wednesday.

Bow wasn’t sure if it was the sleep deprivation, the fear, or pure desperation that convinced him this was the right idea, but by the time he found himself outside Adora’s office, he figured it was too late to go back.

He could hear voices on the other side, and took a deep breath to steel himself. The door _clicked_ as it opened. 

Bow found himself face to face with his best friends. 

Judging by the way their eyes widened in a mix of surprise and confusion, they weren’t expecting to see him. 

“Holy shit,” Catra said, letting out a deep, surprised breath. “Bow?” 

“Hi, Catra.” He gave her a little wave. “It’s been a while. Sorry it’s taken me so long to come say hi. With work, and my schedule, and everything, I—”

“Bow?” Adora said, clearing her throat. “Um. Not that we don’t appreciate seeing you, but why—”

Bow nodded. “Right. Um. Are—are you guys busy right now?”

The two of them looked at each other, and Catra shrugged as Adora said, “Not really.”

“Then bear with me,” He said, letting the door close behind him. “I have a favor to ask of you guys.”

Catra’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of favor?”

He let out a sigh. “Look. Please, just—just consider it. Catra, you… heard about Angella, right?” Catra’s jaw tightened as she looked down, and that told him everything he needed to know. “Well, it’s— I’ve been thinking a lot about it. About our family, and—and how I fit into it, and—”

“Spit it out, Bow.” 

“I’m gonna propose to Glimmer, and you two are gonna help me.” The words spilled out of him like water from a broken dam, and instantly a weight was lifted off his chest. 

“Congratulations.” Catra blinked. “Uh. Are you sure you want me to help? It’s been, like, six years, and I don’t know if I’m still—”

Bow crossed his arms over his chest. “What’s Glimmer’s favorite movie?”

“Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift,” Catra rattled off instantly. She blinked in realization. “Fuck.”

“See?” Bow raised his eyebrows. “Sure, it’s been a few years, and some things have changed, but you two know her better than anyone else, and I…” He sighed. “I need your help with this.”

Adora nodded once before she spoke. “I’m in,” She said, looking over to Catra. “He has a point. I mean, you guys were practically sisters before…” She trailed off, eyes moving down. “You know her really well,” She finished lamely.

Mismatched eyes flicked between the two of them for a moment. 

If Catra was being honest, the choice was obvious. She knew that doing this would probably break at least one of the rules she’d set for herself and Adora, but at the same time… well, Adora had a point. 

Before they’d fallen out of touch — before Catra had cut off contact with her, that is — the two of them _had_ been practically sisters. She had regretted losing that friendship instantly. If she was honest, it was one of the things she had regretted continuously over the past six years. 

She _missed_ Glimmer. 

She hated that she’d been gone for so much— like Angella’s diagnosis, for example. When she’d found out, Catra had tried very hard not to dwell on it, but she’d spent that night lying awake thinking about how badly Glimmer would have needed a friend in her life when she got the news.

Catra had missed so much already. Maybe this could be a start. 

Adora being there was a shame, but by this point that was nothing new. Catra could put her own issues aside for Glimmer. She wasn’t going to let her past with Adora stop her from making things right. 

“Fuck it,” Catra muttered. She looked up. “I’m in, too. How big of a diamond are you thinking?”

*** * ***

_SEVEN YEARS EARLIER._

On some level, Adora knew that Catra had never been to New York City. Her first time visiting the Northeast had been the weekend of move-in day their freshman year, so it shouldn’t have come as a surprise. 

And yet seeing her reaction to Manhattan, Adora was perpetually floored.

Catra’s eyes seemed to be permanently at their widest, staring openly at the buildings that surrounded them with a kind of wonder that Adora had never seen in anyone else. She pointed out everything from Trinity Church to the subway stations they passed with a kind of glee Adora wasn’t used to seeing in her.

She loved it. More than that, she loved that she had been the one to cause it. 

New York summers were unfortunate, it was true, but the hotel they were staying at — one that had partnered with Grayskull Industries a decade before — was air-conditioned so well Adora almost wished she’d brought a jacket. 

They wandered the city for days, filtering in and out of shops, restaurants, and the subway, but somehow they always ended up on Fifth Avenue. 

Adora hadn’t thought Catra was the kind of person that enjoyed the expensive furs, fabrics, and jewelry that the windows offered, but she saw the way she lingered in front of them. It was wistful. There was a sense of pining, of longing in Catra’s eyes that Adora knew she wasn’t imagining.

The third time it happened, Adora remembered the company credit card in her wallet and got an idea. Officially, the card was for emergencies only, but Adora figured no one would look twice at the charge. It was a fashion emergency, after all.

“Come on,” She said, putting a hand on Catra’s back. “Let’s go inside.”

“What?” Catra shook her head. “No, I— come on, dude. You know I can’t afford anything in there.”

“You don’t have to,” Adora said. She pulled out her wallet and grinned. “It’ll be my treat. Thank the company.”

“I— Adora, you—”

“Catra, we’ve been here three times, and every time we’ve walked by you’ve stopped in front of this shop.” Adora raised her eyebrows. “If there’s something you want, let’s get it.”

Catra hesitated for a moment, gnawing at the inside of her lip, and turned back to the display in the window. She let out a small, quiet sigh before looking back to Adora. “Fine, but—but _only_ to look around. There’s no _way_ I’m paying more than $40 for a piece of fabric.”

Adora had been around her enough to know that the hardest part was convincing her, and smiled. “Then we’ll just look around, baby.” She offered a hand, and after a moment Catra took it. 

Privately, Adora knew they wouldn’t leave the shop without spending money, and she was proven right when Catra spent a few moments too long fingering the sleeve of a leather jacket. Adora smiled to herself. “Whatcha got there?”

“Nothing,” Catra said instantly, dropping the sleeve. “Just—” She let out a sigh. “I know I said we would just look around, but… it’s on sale, and I—”

“Do you want to try it on?”

“Am I allowed to do that?”

Adora frowned. “Why wouldn’t you be allowed to do that?”

“Rich people stores have different rules,” Catra said, crossing her arms over her chest. “How would I know?”

“Believe me, they _want_ you to try it on.” Adora reached for the jacket, feeling the smooth leather under her fingers, and nodded approvingly. “And even if they didn’t, no one’s looking. Is this the right size?”

Catra’s eyes flicked around for a moment before she nodded. In a swift, practiced motion, Adora took the jacket off its hanger and held it out. 

Slowly, almost hesitantly, Catra slid it on and took a moment to adjust to the feeling. It was a deep, rich black that complemented the warmth of her skin tone, and that was to say nothing of the fit. The jacket seemed to move organically on her body, as if becoming one with Catra herself, and ended just above her hips.

For lack of a better word, it was perfect. 

Adora let out a sharp exhale, shaking her head a little as she looked. “Fuck,” She murmured, taking a step forward to run her hands over the leather. “Catra, it—it’s _beautiful_. It’s perfect for you.”

“I know,” Catra groaned. “Fuck. It’s perfect, isn’t it?”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“When it costs $400, it is,” Catra said, eyes flicking down to the price tag. She let out a sigh and began to shrug the jacket off. 

“Wait a second, Catra,” Adora said, putting her hands on the sides of her shoulders. Catra paused. “Do you like the jacket?”

“Yeah. I do,” Catra answered honestly. There was a badly-hidden twinge of longing in her voice.

“And would you wear it more than once?”

Catra frowned, blinking a little. “Obviously. It’s a great jacket, and I look sexy as fuck in it.”

“Then hand it over,” Adora said. “Call it an early birthday present.”

Catra blinked. “That’s not— Adora, my birthday isn’t until October.”

“And it’s July right now,” Adora said, giving her a smile. “That’s still within the time frame.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Do what?”

“Spoil me.”

“I want to,” Adora said, and meant it. She put a hand on Catra’s face and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. “Catra, you’re the love of my life. Of _course_ I want to spoil you.” 

If the pulsing of Catra’s jaw was any indication, she was still debating it in her head. “Look. If it really does make you uncomfortable, we can put it back on the rack and walk away.”

Catra’s frown deepened a little as she turned to the jacket. After a moment, she closed her eyes and said, as if admitting some great sin, “I _do_ want it.”

It was hard for her to admit, Adora knew. She took a step forward and pulled Catra into a hug. “Then it’s yours,” She murmured. “Just like the Mont Blanc pen I’m getting you after your first big case as—”

“Oh, God,” Catra said, laughing against her before pulling back. “I told you that _once_ in freshman year.”

“And it stuck with me!” Adora grinned. She began to lead the two of them, still half-embracing, towards the counter. “Every hardcore, big-city lawyer needs a good pen.”

“You think I’m gonna be hardcore?” Catra asked, moving so Adora’s arm was against her waist. 

“I think you’re gonna be the best damn lawyer in the Northeast. Maybe the country,” Adora nodded. “Although I think Angella would give you some competition—” She cut herself off abruptly, and stopped the two of them in their tracks. 

Catra frowned, concerned. “What happened?”

Her question came at the same time as a light, pleasant voice directly across from them asked, “Oh my God, Adora? Is that you?” 

Catra looked over to see a tall, blonde girl that reeked of money. 

The pair of sunglasses perched perfectly atop smooth, artful waves of styled hair had the Gucci logo on them, and Catra could almost hear the sound of coins jingling with every click of her heels towards the two of them. 

She was diamond-studded, with sparkling gems that ran from her earrings to her neckline. Catra didn’t need to know the price to know that the bracelets that sat on her artificially-tanned wrists cost more than her entire outfit. 

“Morgan?” Adora asked, half-surprised and half-pleased. “Wow. It’s—it’s been a while.”

“Since boarding school,” Morgan confirmed, giving her a dazzling, all-white grin. “Yeah. I didn’t know you were in New York!”

“For another week or so, yeah.” Adora blinked, and seemed to remember that Catra was with them. “I’m actually here with my girlfriend. It’s her first time,” She said, trailing off a little at the feeling of Catra’s hand tightening against her back.

“I’m Catra,” She piped up, hearing how tight her voice was. “Nice to meet you.”

Morgan’s eyes shifted to her, and Catra felt her hackles beginning to rise as cold, piercing blue eyes met hers. “I see,” She said, nodding politely. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, too. I’m Morgan Blackwell.”

Catra blinked. “Like—like Damian Blackwell? The director?”

“My father,” Morgan confirmed, giving her that dazzling, glittering smile again. “He asked about you recently, Adora. He saw the news about the company shifting into green energy.”

“Right. Um. Yeah,” Adora said, glancing down at where Catra was standing perfectly still. There was a flash of concern across her face. “It’s nice of him to ask.”

“He also wanted to know if you and your dad would ever go back to Provence with us. I mean, that one summer we had was just—” She let out a wistful sigh as her eyes ran up and down Adora’s body, and Catra’s heart stopped for a moment. “Well. You remember. Anyway, I should be going. It was great to see you.”

Adora nodded. “Yeah, you too. Tell your dad I said hi.”

“I will!” Morgan turned to Catra. “It was nice meeting you,” She said, giving her that same smile one final time. “Enjoy your stay, you two. And Adora, if you ever want to meet up for coffee or dinner, you know where I’ll be.”

The door to the shop opened behind her a moment later, and for a second Catra heard the rush of the streets outside. She was still staring at the spot Morgan had been when Adora asked, “Hey. You look a thousand miles away. Is everything alright?”

“Fine,” Catra said tightly. 

Her head was racing at about a million miles an hour, flashing images of Adora and Morgan together in France, of Adora having dinner with one of the most famous directors in the country, of expensive clothes and food and wine and jewelry and everything that Catra had never thought possible for herself. 

Adora didn’t believe her, but wouldn’t press her. “Alright,” She said hesitantly. “Here, give me the jacket, and I’ll pay for—”

“Actually, I changed my mind,” Catra interrupted. “I don’t want it anymore.”

She began to shrug the jacket off, trying to distance herself from it as soon as possible, and heard more than saw the confusion in Adora’s voice. “Is it— is it the price? Because it’s really not an issue for me, baby. If you want it—”

“I don’t.”

“Are—are you sure? Because it looks—”

“I’m not your fucking charity case,” Catra spat. Adora blinked, falling into a stunned silence. “I’ll meet you outside.”

The walk back to the hotel was silent, with a thick, uneasy tension between them. Catra spent it stewing, and every time she glanced over at Adora, she thought looked as though she was going to be sick.

When they finally made it back to their room, Adora said, in a shaky voice, “Catra, please talk to me. What happened?”

“ _What_ _happened_?” Catra repeated, turning to look at her. “I—” She cut herself off, taking a breath. “Who was that?”

Adora frowned. “Who?”

“What do you mean, _who_?” Catra asked, half-incredulous. “Morgan fucking Blackwell. You know, the rich girl that looked at you like she was going to eat you alive?”

The frown didn’t move from Adora’s face. “A friend from boarding school.”

“A friend that you went on a trip to _Provence_ with?”

“...Yes?” Adora said hesitantly. “My dad wanted her dad to film a promo video for the company.”

“And what did the two of you do all summer?”

“Are you seriously asking me that?” At Catra’s unblinking stare, Adora sighed. “I— we hooked up, like, twice when we were both too drunk to know what we were doing. Neither time was very good.”

That was what Catra had been waiting to hear. “I knew it. I—” She cut herself off and closed her eyes. “Adora, I need you to be _very_ fucking honest with me right now.”

“Of course,” Adora said, moving a little closer. “Always.”

“Why are you dating me when you could be dating someone like Morgan?”

“Is that a joke?” Adora asked, cocking her head to the side a little. “Catra, I’m dating you because you’re my best friend and I’m in love with you.”

“Yeah, but I’m never going to be as rich or—or as well-traveled as that, and—”

“Good,” Adora said plainly. 

“—and if that’s what you’re expecting, I think we—” Catra blinked. “Wait, what?”

Adora put her hands on Catra’s shoulders, rubbing gently there. “Catra, that’s never mattered to me. Come on. You know me better than that.”

That was… true. Adora had always had mixed feelings about her parents’ wealth and how she fit into it. As the blinding terror of being forgotten faded, a gentle prick of remorse replaced it. 

“I-I know, I just—” Catra fisted her hands in Adora’s shirt. “I think I’m always gonna worry about whether I’m enough for you.”

Adora didn’t hesitate to pull her in for a tight, secure hug. Catra returned it without thinking twice. “Always. You’re always going to be enough for me.”

Catra felt an aching burn in her throat from holding back tears. “Promise?” She croaked, burying her face in Adora’s chest. 

Adora leaned back for a second, watching Catra bring a hand up to wipe away the tears. “Look at me,” She murmured. When Catra did, eyes still welling and watery, Adora put a hand on the side of her face and pulled her in for a slow, gentle kiss. 

“I promise,” She said, resting their foreheads together. 

Catra nodded jerkily, letting out a shaky exhale. “Okay. I-I’m sorry for—for all of that. I just—” She shook her head a little. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while. My family doesn’t have a house in Aspen, I-I don’t know how to ski, I’ve never been to Europe, and I—” She closed her eyes. “I don’t want that to be something you resent.”

“Never.” Adora pressed another gentle kiss to her lips before leaving light ones on her nose and her forehead. “I would never do that, Catra. Besides,” She said, watching Catra’s eyes flick up to her. “All that means is that we get to do that stuff together.” 

“I love you,” Catra said, burying her face into Adora’s chest again. “And I-I’m gonna try to work on getting jealous and angry like that.”

“I love you too.” As the words registered, Adora chuckled a little against her. “You got jealous of Morgan?” 

“Are you kidding? Of course I did.”

“No reason to be jealous, baby,” Adora said, leading them over to the couch so Catra could wrap herself around her. “I’m all yours.”

As soon as they were seated, Catra wrapped her arms around Adora’s waist and tucked herself into her side. Strong arms wrapped around her instantly. They sat like that for a moment before Adora took in a hesitant breath and asked, “Do you still want me to buy you that jacket?”

“Yeah,” Catra mumbled, wiping away a stray tear. “It looks _really_ fucking good on me.”

“No arguments there.” Adora pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “We can split the cost if you want. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

It was a small gesture, but Catra knew the meaning behind it. She smiled to herself. “What’s the point of dating rich if I can’t get a free jacket out of it?”

Adora let out a surprised laugh against her, and the sound made the room instantly brighter. “Should’ve known you were just here for the money,” Adora said, shaking her head in mock sadness. 

“Oh, completely. My plan has always been to marry into your family, get them to trust me, and then make off into the sunset with your inheritance.”

Still laughing, Adora put a finger under Catra’s chin and tilted her face up for a kiss. Catra sighed into it, feeling the fear and the tension melt from her body as she did. 

Just as she’d done moments prior, Adora gave her a peck on the lips, the nose, and the forehead before murmuring, “We’ll go first thing tomorrow morning.”

“What are we gonna do until then?”

Adora gave her a smile and pulled her in for another kiss. “Takeout, pajamas, and Bake-Off?” She asked against Catra’s lips.

Catra grinned. “You know me so well.”

*** * ***

After Catra and Adora took the rest of their allotted meeting time to talk about rings, diamond size, and methods of proposal, Bow had a significantly better grasp on what he wanted to do for his soon-to-be wife. Now, all he had to do was figure out a way to do it.

Even though the tension between the other two was thick enough for him to cut through, Bow thought they did a remarkably good job of putting it aside for a moment. 

They did _such_ a good job, in fact, that Bow didn’t want it to end. While Adora was distracted by a story Catra was retelling from their time together, he sent Glimmer a quick text. 

_I have Adora and Catra with me, and they’re being… surprisingly civil. How do you feel about a game night?_

The reply came a moment later. 

_uh hell yes? if they can get over themselves, i’m down_

As Catra’s story ended, Bow let out a sigh. “You know, I-I missed this,” He said, looking between them. “I missed being together.”

“Me too,” Adora said quietly, trying very hard not to look over at Catra. 

Catra felt herself smile. “It’s been a long time,” She said, nodding. “It… was nice. Doing this, I mean.”

Bow looked at the stew of emotions broiling between them and decided to stir the pot. “You know, I bet Glimmer would love to have one of the game nights we used to do.”

Catra’s eyes widened as Adora stuttered out, “Oh, I-I don’t know about that. I mean, with—with work—”

“Guys, come on. Whenever one of us was going through it back in college, we’d have a game night and drink all our problems away. Or smoke,” He said, nodding to Adora. “As the case may be.”

Adora shifted uneasily in her seat as her eyes flicked over to Catra. “Bow, I-I don’t know if that’s a good idea—”

“I know you two have your whole thing—” He raised a hand, gesturing in a circle around them, “and if the situation was any different I would respect that, but right now…” Bow sighed. “Right now, I’m asking you to do this for Glimmer.” 

Catra looked between them, where Adora’s eyes were wide and scared and where Bow sat unyielding, and knew something had to give. Try as she might, she knew Adora well enough to know that any opposition she had was coming out of consideration for the rules Catra had set for them. 

_No familiarity_ , she remembered with a sigh. It was hard to avoid it now. Not for the first time, Catra wondered if there was ever a point in setting them in the first place. 

But Bow was right. Even if they’d been out of each other’s lives for a while, Glimmer was still someone she cared about. 

Catra had been around Adora more in the last month than she was ever expecting, and for the most part all she’d gotten was a quiet, considerate feeling of respect from her. There were moments that pushed at the boundaries they’d set, but even now Catra had to admit it wasn’t always Adora’s fault. 

And, well… if Catra was being honest — _very_ honest — in some part of her brain that had been locked away successfully for years, she’d missed her. 

Maybe they had been Ms. Horde and Ms. Grayskull for too long. 

“We can put it aside for a night,” Catra said after a beat. In her peripheral vision, she saw Adora’s head snap over to her in shock. Even Bow’s eyes widened in surprise. “What do you say, Adora?” She asked, realizing too late how tentative it sounded. 

Tasting Adora’s name on her lips again was new. Tasting it without bitterness was even newer. 

Adora blinked once, then twice, and leaned back a little in her seat. “If you’re okay with that, then I am, too.”

“So it’s a plan,” Bow said, eyes flicking between the two of them. “Sweet. Catra, if you give me your phone number, I’ll text you our address. Adora, are you down to bring snacks again?”

“Uh, sure. What do you want?”

Bow frowned in concentration. “Hm. I’m not sure. I’ll text Glimmer, and then— you know what, maybe I should just make us a group chat.”

“We’re not there yet,” Catra said lightly. 

“Noted.”

As a smile spread across her face, Adora looked between them. “Listen, I hate to kick you guys out, but I have to meet with a bunch of investors in, like—” She checked her watch, “oh. Uh, ten minutes ago.”

Bow nodded, standing up. “Then I’ll see you tonight. Both of you,” He said, eyes flicking meaningfully between them one final time before he left. 

The _click_ of the door left the two of them alone. Silence settled between them. 

Just as it was growing unbearable, they spoke at the same time.

“Look, I know you’re—”

“If it makes you—” Adora blinked. “Can I go first this time?”

“Sure.”

“If the idea of me being there makes you uncomfortable, I don’t have to go. I can drop off a few snacks and leave before you even get there.” Adora paused for a moment, gnawing on her lip. “But, honestly, Ms. Horde—”

“You can call me Catra.” The words were quiet, but they rang like a bell in Adora’s ears. 

“Honestly, _Catra_ ,” Adora said, as if trying it out, “it...it’s been a long time since the four of us were together, and... I don’t want to miss it.”

“Neither do I.” Catra offered a hand. “So… truce?”

“Truce. I’ll see you there.” Adora gave her a small smile as she shook it. 

As their hands touched, Catra had the sudden feeling that something had finally clicked into place. She didn’t know what that thought meant. She didn’t _want_ to know what that thought meant. 

As if Glimmer’s situation and re-entry into her life wasn’t enough, this was something she absolutely could not deal with right now.

Catra turned to leave without another word, but Adora spoke again. “What were you going to say?”

“What?”

“I spoke first. What were you going to say?”

“Oh,” Catra said. “I was going to say that I know you’re probably going to stress about this.” She shrugged. “You don’t have to. We can spend one night together with our friends without it being weird.”

In the moment, Catra believed what she said. 

By the time she found herself outside Bow and Glimmer’s door, she was a little less convinced. It was an easy thing to say, of course, but if Catra was being honest, she had absolutely no idea what the experience would be like. 

She’d barely tapped out the first few knocks when Glimmer opened the door. 

“Hey, Catra,” She said, giving her a lopsided smile. “Ready to get wasted? It’s been a while.”

Catra smiled a little, and nodded. “It has, yeah.” She lifted up the handle of vodka she’d picked up from a liquor store down the street. “Luckily, I came prepared.”

As soon as she saw the familiar dark bluish-green tint of the bottle, Glimmer’s smile widened. “Is that Whispering Woods?”

It was. The brand, based in Seattle, had been introduced to them by Glimmer back in college. It had quickly become their go-to, and even now Catra had to admit it was still her favorite. 

Catra gave her a grin. “Is it really a game night without it?” 

“There’s the Catra I remember,” Glimmer said with a grin. She stepped aside to give Catra access to the apartment. “Come on in.”

For once in her life, Catra figured she must have been early, because Adora wasn’t there yet. She set the bottle on the counter and took a seat at the breakfast bar while Glimmer got a few glasses out for them. 

When she turned around, she hesitated a little, toying with the glasses in her hands. “Look, I-I know it’s been a long time since we were close, and we don’t have to talk about everything that happened, but I just want to say…” Glimmer sighed. “Thank you. With my mom, and everything, I-I really need this.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” Catra said. “Consider it my first attempt at making up for missing out on six years with you and Bow. We have a _lot_ to catch up on.” She frowned. “Hey, where _is_ Bow?”

“Oh, he went to the grocery store with Adora. She’s hopeless at feeding herself, and her snack game is terrible.”

“Seriously?” Catra frowned. The Adora she remembered _loved_ food, and spent hours upon hours trying different restaurants with her. “I thought she was a big foodie.”

“Maybe in college, yeah,” Glimmer shrugged. “But ever since she took over for the company, her diet has consisted of protein bars and meal replacement smoothies. Bow and I started a biweekly brunch tradition just to get her to eat a damn vegetable every now and then.”

Catra’s frown deepened into something that almost resembled concern. “I didn’t know that.”

“It’s been a long time,” Glimmer shrugged. In a practiced movement, she unscrewed the cap and poured the equivalent of a shot into each glass. She slid one over to Catra. “But enough about that. I wanna hear all about law school.”

Catra grinned, throwing back the shot, and relished in the familiar burn in her throat. “How come I don’t get to pick the topic?”

“You ghosted me after four years of being my best friend,” Glimmer said, raising an eyebrow. “I feel like I get first dibs on what we catch up on.”

It was hard to argue with that, but Catra knew from experience that Glimmer didn’t mean anything serious by it. 

By the time Bow and Adora got back from the store an hour later, the two of them were on the verge of tears laughing about a story Glimmer had told about one of the professors in her PhD program. 

At that point, they were both two shots deep. The resulting buzz was pleasant, and settled in Catra’s body in the best way. 

Maybe it was the alcohol that made her stare a second longer than she should’ve at Adora, but, really, who could blame her? In the time that had passed since their meeting earlier, Adora had changed from a neat, tailored suit into a plain white T-shirt and jeans that fit her sinfully well. 

Adora had always been a fitness nut, Catra remembered. If the smooth, rippling lines of muscle in her arms were any indication, that was something that hadn’t changed at all. 

She was sipping on one of the beers in Glimmer’s fridge when Adora walked over with a small smile and an awkward wave. Something fell out of her hands, landing with a _thud_ on the ground, and Catra almost spit out her mouthful when Adora bent over to pick it up. 

As Catra desperately tried to remember if her shoulders had always been that broad and her ass had always looked good in jeans, she became faintly aware of Glimmer calling her name. “Uh, are you there, Catra?”

She blinked, and saw Adora frowning at her in concern. “Oh,” Catra said dumbly. “Um. Sorry.”

“Bow and I stopped by a dispensary,” Adora said, still half-hesitant. “We were gonna smoke on the balcony, so if you want to join us…” She trailed off in an open invitation. 

If Catra had been slightly more sober and slightly less distracted by how big Adora’s biceps were, she might have declined. 

Instead, she downed the last of her beer and said, “Lead the way.”

There was a chill to the November air, and it hit Catra full force as soon as she stepped outside. She had to fight to suppress a shiver. 

“You okay?” Adora asked tentatively. “There are some blankets inside. I’d be happy to—”

“No! No, that’s— I’m okay,” Catra said, trying to make it sound convincing. “You don’t have to do that.”

“No, seriously, it’s— I was gonna get my jacket anyway, so…” Adora blinked, trailing off. “I’ll grab one.” She cleared her throat, suddenly aware of both Bow and Glimmer staring openly at the two of them. “Do—do you guys want anything while I’m up?”

Bow put his head in his hands, but Glimmer just shook her head, clearly trying to hold back laughter. “You know, I-I think we’re good.”

When Adora came back a minute later, she had a sturdy-looking red jacket and a wool blanket in her hands. She tossed the blanket to Catra, who muttered her thanks, and shrugged her jacket on. 

Glimmer took a pull of a fresh joint before she passed it to Catra. As she inhaled, watching in interest as Adora began to roll another one, the burn of the smoke in her throat lingered pleasantly. 

After a moment, she offered it to Adora, who hesitated before taking it. “Thanks,” She murmured, putting it to her lips. 

“I didn’t know you smoked,” Catra said in response. “You didn’t in college.”

“Oh. No, I didn’t,” Adora confirmed, nodding once. “I dunno. I started after rehab.” She shrugged. “The company got rid of drug testing, so I figured there wasn’t a ton of risk in it.”

Catra remembered her dad mentioning that a few years prior. He had taken over as one of the HR managers in Grayskull’s Los Angeles branch around the time Catra started her senior year of college. 

He had always been good about respecting the fact that she didn’t want to hear anything about the company. In fact, she had only found out because he was talking about it during a phone call with Rogelio’s father. 

Catra wasn’t sure how to respond to Adora’s statement, so she took a sip of water instead. 

Adora passed the joint over to Bow, who accepted gratefully, and the four of them settled into a companionable silence as they watched the sun set over Boston. 

When the joint had burned down to its embers and the night sky hung overhead, Glimmer piped up. “Alright, I’m fuckin’ cold. Can we play Pictionary now?”

Catra nodded. “Same teams as college?” She asked, looking over to Adora. They’d always played with the two couples against each other.

A frown passed quickly over Adora’s face. “Are you okay with that?”

“I wouldn’t have brought it up if I wasn’t.”

Adora considered that, then nodded. “Fair point. Let’s do it.”

One game of Pictionary turned into nearly two games of Pictionary, an attempt at cards, and six games of charades. By the time the clock struck midnight, the four of them were sore from laughing at Adora’s attempt to explain _baby monitor_. 

As their peals of laughter died down, Glimmer let out a yawn. “Fuck, I missed this,” She said, rubbing her eyes. “I might go to bed, though, guys. It’s been… kind of an exhausting couple of weeks.”

“Same.” Bow nodded in agreement. “You’re welcome to crash here, though. I don’t think either of you should be driving right now.”

 _Fair point,_ Catra thought. “Yeah, you’re probably right. G’night, guys.”

“Night,” Glimmer yawned, pulling insistently at Bow until he stood up to walk her into their room.

That left just Catra and Adora in the living room. 

“How’s this going to work?” Catra asked, looking over at Adora. “Like, sleeping arrangement-wise?”

“Oh,” Adora said. “Well, you can have the couch. I’m fine sleeping on the floor.”

“Adora, you’ve had back problems since we were 18.”

“Yeah, but I—”

“There’s plenty of room on the couch for both of us.” Catra blinked as she realized what she’d said. A small blush colored her cheeks, but she wasn’t going to back down now. She raised her eyebrows to prove her point.

Adora blinked once, then twice. “Okay.” She scratched the back of her head. “Are—are you tired?”

“Not at all.”

“Neither am I.”

An awkward silence ensued between them.

Adora let out a sigh. “Catra, can I be honest with you for a second?”

“Sure,” Catra said, leaning back against the couch. “What’s up?”

“I hate that things are so awkward between us.” As Catra opened her mouth to speak, Adora held up a hand. “I know it’s my fault. Believe me, I-I know. I just—” She shrugged. “I dunno. Tonight was the most normal I’ve felt in, like, _years_. I...I missed you.”

“I—” Catra wanted to bristle at the words, to retreat back into the armor she’d spent so long building up, but something stopped her. “I know what you mean,” She said quietly. “Um. I missed you too.”

A small smile quirked up on Adora’s lips. “How have these last few years been for you? Being a lawyer, and everything?”

Catra let out a _whoosh_ of air. “Hard as shit,” She said honestly. “I’m lucky I got the offer from the company, but it’s been three years of long nights and weird, creepy male coworkers that think they’re better than me.”

“I know what you mean,” Adora nodded. “When I first took over as the head of R&D, all of the guys I worked with thought I was some idiot that only got the position because of my dad. And on some level they were right, I guess, but I’ve alsobeen working with our systems and tech since I was 12.”

“Fuckers,” Catra said without hesitation, smiling as Adora let out a surprised laugh. “You’ve done a lot with the company,” She said. “I looked it up the other day after you told me about that news story.” She shrugged. “It’s pretty impressive.”

Adora just stared at her for a second. “Thank you,” She said softly. “That— thank you. It means a lot coming from you.” She paused for a moment. 

For the first time, the silence that settled between them was amicable. 

“I, um. Don’t tell anyone,” She said, smiling a little, “but I’ve been working on something else. It’s taken me a while to get the board to sign on, but I think it’s gonna be really good.”

“Do I get to know anything else about it?”

Adora nodded after a second. “We’re gonna provide free, high-speed internet connection to every person in Boston.”

Catra’s eyes widened. “Holy shit.”

“Entrapta helped design the routers before she left, and we just got approval by the city. They’re going up next summer.”

“Adora, that’s—” Catra shook her head. “Wow.”

“Thanks,” She said. After a moment, she asked, “How’s your family doing?”

“The kids are all doing well. My sister is in her senior year of high school now,” She said, watching Adora’s eyes widen. “She just sent in her application to Harvard.”

Adora smiled at that. It was a genuine one, and one that Catra hadn’t seen in years. “That’s amazing,” She said. “Keep me updated. I-I want to know where she ends up.” She raised an eyebrow. “How’s Rogelio doing?”

Rogelio was doing _very_ well, and now worked in cybersecurity in the Bay Area. “He’s good. He finally married Kyle,” She said.

“You’re kidding,” Adora said. “How long has it been?”

Catra nodded. “Eight years this summer, but they got married in April. It was a great ceremony. I wish—” Catra cut herself off from finishing the sentence. _I wish you could’ve been there_. “Anyway. It was a great time.”

Adora seemed to understand. “I bet. I’m happy for him.” She fiddled with one of the rings on her fingers for a moment. When she spoke, her voice came out a little shaky, though she was trying hard to mask it. “So, are you— are you seeing anyone?”

“I was in a few relationships, but nothing big.” Raising an eyebrow, Catra nodded at the still-fading marks on her neck. “I could ask you the same thing.”

“Oh,” Adora said, scratching the back of her neck. “No. No, that wasn’t anything serious. I haven’t had anything serious since—” She cut off abruptly, but Catra didn’t need to be a psychic to know that the next words were going to be _since you_. 

She shifted in her seat, feeling a mix of emotions run through her. Some were old — residual anger, betrayal, humiliation — but the confusion and, more importantly, the _hope_ she felt were new. 

She didn’t want to think about that right now. Between the alcohol, the weed, and the tension already starting to suffocate them again, she _couldn’t_ think about that right now.

“You know what, I-I think I _am_ pretty tired,” Catra said, feigning a yawn.

Adora took the hint. “Yeah. Um, me too,” She said. “Are you sure you’re okay with me being here?”

“I am,” Catra said, and meant it. “I don’t mind.”

“Alright.” Adora settled into place as best she could, throwing a blanket over them as she brought the ottoman closer so they could rest their legs on it. 

After a few minutes of quiet had passed by, she said, “Hey, Catra?”

“What?” Catra mumbled, half-asleep already.

Adora was quiet for a moment. “It was good to see you.”

Catra smiled to herself. “Yeah. You too.”

Sleep took them both soon after. Adora thought she imagined the feeling of an arm snaking around her waist in the night, but she couldn’t be sure. 

When sunlight filtered in through the windows the next morning, the first thing Adora realized was that she was alone on the couch. Judging by the warm spot left in front her, it was a fairly recent development. 

Sitting up with a groan, she checked the notifications on her phone screen and saw, among other things, a text from Catra. 

_sorry i left — early morning at work_

_also sorry if i said anything weird last night i was pretty far gone_

_honestly i don’t even remember half of it lol_

Adora felt her heart sink just a bit as she read the messages. 

_No worries_ , she wrote back, hating every word. _I barely remember it either._

It was a lie, of course, just as Catra’s messages were. But if that was what Catra wanted, Adora wouldn’t stand in her way. 

Still, even as Bow and Glimmer staggered slowly out of their room and the day began to move on around them, Adora couldn’t help but feel like something had changed between them. 


	4. last kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adora wins a ring, then buys one. Catra comes to terms with her feelings. Bow kneels, Glimmer floats. 
> 
> The case nears an end. Finally, for the first time, everything is laid bare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi everyone! thanksgiving break and a little bit of leeway on my assignments means i got to spend more time working on this chapter, and oh boy. it's a big one. in case it wasn't clear by the fact that (as of this chapter) we only have one final piece of this story to go, there's a lot that happens and unfolds in this one. as a brief warning, i did almost cry while editing the last scene, so read at your own risk <3 love you guys! enjoy :)
> 
> title comes from last kiss by taylor swift, which i highly recommend listening to if you want to twist the knife deeper.

In the three weeks that had passed since Glimmer Night (as Adora had come to refer to it), she had seen Catra a grand total of twice. 

If there had been any additional contact before it, it had vanished. During their scheduled meeting time, Catra came in, sat stiffly across from her, and gave a report on the status of the case. 

Every meeting was tight, to the point, and punctual to a fault. Once their allotted 30 minutes were up, Catra left with barely a word other than goodbye.

Adora wasn’t sure if she was allowed to call her Catra. She didn’t quite know where they stood on that. But Adora _did_ know her, and was completely sure she had spooked herself after viewing their relationship as getting too close. Now, she was trying to retreat to make up for it. 

Adora felt like she was treading in uncharted waters. To be fair, she’d felt like that the entire time the two of them had been working together, but at least before this she had rules to fall back on.

She didn’t know what to expect from today’s meeting. If what Catra had been telling her was true, they were nearing the end of the process. That meant… well, it meant she probably wouldn’t see Catra again for a while. 

If she was being honest, it meant she probably wouldn’t see Catra again, period.

For that, Adora had no one to blame but herself. The board had suggested that, after the litigation was through and won, she take an extended trip to their Manhattan branch to do some downsizing and oversight.

It wasn’t like she had much to bring with her. Adora would miss her piano — one night of music had turned into several, and now she spent more time in her apartment playing it than not — but even that could be transported.

Her life was portable. She had come to terms with that. 

In the silence of the room, the noise of the clock on the wall across from her was deafening. 

_Tick._

_Tock_. 

Adora’s eyes glanced down to the smaller, more easily-read clock on her desk. _10:57am_. 

In other words, she had three minutes to mentally prepare for the meeting ahead of her. Adora figured that would have been easier if she had any idea what to expect. 

Three minutes (and twenty-four seconds, not that Adora was counting) later, the handle of her door turned. 

Adora straightened her back and stood up at her desk as Catra walked in. “Hi,” She said, swallowing. “Please, have a seat.”

Catra didn’t look at her as she sat down. “So, I’ve been talking with Prime’s legal team, and they said they don’t want to settle. They want to take it to a judge.”

“Okay,” Adora nodded. _Right to business, then._ “Is that— how do we feel about that?”

Catra’s eyes slowly rose to look at her. “It’s risky,” She said, in a tone more clipped than Adora was expecting. “If they rule against us, that’s the end of it.” A silence followed her words.

_Tick._

Adora’s fingers started tapping against the desk. “Right.”

_Tock._

Catra’s hands twisted in her lap for a second. “So I’m going to make sure our case is airtight before we present it.”

“That’s a good idea.” Adora paused, looking at her. “Let me know if there’s anything else you need from me. I want to do everything I can to help.”

Catra’s jaw ticked. “Stop doing that.”

“Stop—” Adora frowned. “What am I doing?”

“Complimenting me, offering to help,” Catra said tightly. “Please. Just stop, Adora.”

“Have I done something to offend you?” Adora asked, frown deepening. “I mean, I-I thought we were in a good place after Glimmer’s game night.”

Catra let out a huff. “No, just—” She shook her head. “It’s fine. The case is going to be over soon. Then we can _finally_ be done with—with _this_.” She gestured between the two of them as she spoke. 

Adora blinked, feeling the sting of the words somewhere deep in her. “Oh.” She nodded. “Right. Yeah. I mean, I-I’ll be in New York for the next few months, so I’ll be out of your hair for good soon enough.”

“Wait. What?”

“I didn’t tell you?” Catra’s expression seemed to flip back and forth between alarm and caution, but she stayed silent. “Oh,” Adora said. “Right. The Board is having me spend some time at our Manhattan branch.”

Catra blinked once, then twice. “Oh.”

“Yeah.”

_Tick._

“I-I didn’t know.”

“I didn’t tell you.”

_Tock._

Catra’s hands twisted in her lap. “Look, I don’t—” She let out a sharp exhale. “I don’t want things between us to be awkward, or—or messy, but they are.”

Adora tightened her jaw. “Yeah.”

“So,” Catra said, avoiding eye contact, “I think we should just push through until the end of the case and then go our separate ways.” 

_Oh._ “If that’s what you want, I’m fine with that.” Adora could hear how hollow her voice sounded. She’d never been good at hiding it.

Catra nodded. Silence lay steadily, snaking into the space between them, until Catra spoke again. When she did, it was quiet. If Adora had to put a name on it, she would have called it tentative. “Thank you,” She said. “For being…”

“For being what?”

Catra shrugged, glancing up to make eye contact with her for a moment. “For being you. I—” She cut herself off for a second. “If it was anyone else, I wouldn’t have stuck around this long, but… I dunno. I knew… no matter what I said to you, you wouldn’t push me on it. I needed that.”

It had become a rare thing for Adora to let her guard down, but the words managed it. “Always, Catra,” She said. “At this point, it feels like kind of the least I can—”

She was interrupted by the loud, jarring sound of her phone ringing. 

Adora frowned, looking down at it, and let out a sigh when she saw the name. “Shit. I have to take this,” She said apologetically, watching Catra nod. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. If you want some privacy, I-I can step into the hallway, or—”

Adora shook her head. “It won’t take long.” She took in a deep, steadying breath before picking up the phone. “Hi, Marcus. If this is about the restructuring in San Francisco, I already told you we’re not discussing it until Friday at the earliest.”

Her voice was different when she spoke on the phone, Catra realized. She’d always had an uncanny ability to make herself sound in control of the situation, and listening to her now Catra knew why. 

As much as she hated to admit it, Adora was born for this.

Being raised in the company had its disadvantages, but one thing neither of them could deny was how damn _good_ she’d gotten at leading it. She knew it like the back of her hand, knew all of her employees and everything that made them tick, and knew exactly how to maintain control over all the running parts of the machine. 

It had been hot when they were in college, when Adora mainly worked in R&D, and that had been fairly limited. Now, watching her take a phone call in impeccably-tailored slacks, a sharp white button-down, and a freshly-short haircut styled to perfection, it was… 

Well, as far as Catra was concerned, the room was getting _far_ warmer than it had any right to be. 

Whatever the conversation was about, it was giving her some stress. Catra watched her fingers drum on her knee before moving up to fiddle with something at her neck. 

_Wait_.

_Is_ _that—_

Catra’s eyes widened.

It was.

Around a delicate silver chain around Adora’s neck hung a ring. That wasn’t in itself surprising, Catra supposed, but it wasn’t a normal ring. 

Instead of smooth metal, it was made of cheap plastic. 

Catra recognized it immediately. It was hard not to, considering she was the one that had given it to her in the first place. 

She blinked once, then twice, then another four times trying to shove down the flutter that rose up in her chest. 

This was what Catra had been fearing. 

Ever since they’d spent the night together — and for a considerable time before that, if Catra was being honest with herself — she couldn’t shake the feeling that Adora wasn’t telling the truth about what had happened between them. 

In fact, between the overwhelming consideration, the constant reminders of their time together, and the fact that Adora hadn’t had a serious relationship in the _six years_ the two of them had been broken up, Catra was sure of it. 

It was a dizzying, deeply confusing thing to realize that Adora still had feelings for her, but Catra wasn’t sure what other conclusions to draw from… well, everything.

There was something she was more worried about than that, though. 

More than the fear of Adora still pining for her, Catra was worried that… well, that she hadn’t stopped pining, either. 

That was _terrifying_. 

It was what she had been trying to avoid since the first moment she saw Adora again. She knew instantly that seeing her would bring up old, buried feelings, but she had hoped against hope that it wouldn’t reignite whatever love she still had for her.

She had realized it for the first time when Adora told her in a calm, completely sure voice that the reason Grayskull would win was because they had Catra. Ever since, it had been hard not to find it more and more in every interaction they shared. 

Like any good lawyer would, Catra had compiled a list of evidence. 

When she glanced over to the other side of Glimmer’s balcony just to see the fading light catch Adora’s eyes, she felt her heart flop in her chest. 

When Adora had given her that _stupid_ , cocky smile in her office and said, _That could’ve been an email_ , Catra had blushed harder than some stupid, immature schoolgirl with a crush. 

When Adora had come out of her room in an old hoodie and put an old, familiar pair of reading glasses on over tired eyes, Catra had needed to restrain herself from kissing her on the spot. 

There were more instances, of course. More than she could count. 

The evidence was stacked against her, and Catra…

Catra had absolutely noidea what to do about it.

She was jolted back into place by Adora letting out a long-suffering sigh. “Sorry about that,” She said, shaking her head. “Where were we?”

“You know, I-I think I should go,” Catra said, avoiding eye contact. “My—my mom texted me. Um. Family emergency.”

“Oh, fuck.” Adora’s expression morphed instantly into one of concern, and Catra realized distantly that this was _not_ the outcome she had hoped for. “Is everything okay? Can—can I do anything to—”

“Nope,” Catra said tightly. “No. Um. I just— I have to go.”

Adora nodded in understanding. Her hands twitched by her sides as if all they wanted to do was reach out towards Catra and reassure her. Instead, they balled in and out of fists by her side. “Of course. I— will you let me know when there’s an update?”

“Yeah, of—of course,” Catra said, already making a beeline for the door. “You’ll be the first.”

She closed the door quickly behind her. 

As the _click_ sounded, Catra closed her eyes and let her head fall back against it with a dull thud.

_Fuck_.

*** * ***

_SEVEN YEARS EARLIER._

Catra thought she had long outgrown carnivals when the county fair came to town. 

She’d worked at a few in high school, when the summers were for nothing but baking in the sun or wasting away in the house, and hadn’t ever really felt the need to go back. 

When the fair opened up in the fall of their senior year, the way Adora’s face lit up was enough to make her reconsider. 

As Adora told her, half-excited, half-shy, she had never actually been to one. 

Catra figured she should’ve known. Adora’s parents always opted for things like company internships and trips abroad to fill summers, not county fairs and unsteady rides.

It wasn’t far from campus, either. Even if it had been, the two of them had Adora’s car— as in, a car that was properly hers and not her parents. It was a 2002 Toyota Camry that she’d bought on Craigslist after months of saving up from her paychecks. Adora had lovingly named it _Darla_. 

They didn’t go many places outside of campus and their apartment, but the fair was worth the drive. So, after feeling her heart melt at the wonder in Adora’s voice, Catra agreed in a second to go with her. 

She had to admit, for a county fair populated almost entirely by college students and the children of professors, it was a surprisingly good time.

When they had ridden every ride available at least once (and then another time) and stuffed themselves full of fair food, Adora looked up at her expectantly. “So what’s next?” 

Catra hummed. “I dunno. We could hit some of the games stands?” 

“Aren’t those always rigged?”

“Oh, completely. But they’re still fun.”

Adora gave her a grin and nodded. “Then I’m in.” She stood up, letting out a small grunt as she did, and offered a hand. “Shall we?”

“I believe we shall,” Catra said daintily, taking her hand. 

The first station they came across was a simple ring toss. Ten bottles were lined up neatly on a wooden board, and rows upon rows of stuffed prizes hung over their heads. “Oh, I got this,” Adora said, completely confident. At Catra’s confused look, she shrugged. “I played a lot of ultimate frisbee in high school.”

“Pretty sure that’s a different skill set,” Catra said, cocking her head to the side. “But now I’m intrigued. Show me what you got.”

Adora raised an eyebrow. “Watch this.” With a well-practiced flick of her wrist, she landed the ring neatly atop the lip of one of the center bottles. 

Catra raised an eyebrow. “Anybody can land _one_ ,” She said, nudging Adora gently. “You know what would be impressive?”

“What?” Adora said, playing along. 

“Landing four.”

Adora’s eyes narrowed. “Is that a challenge?”

“You know it is.”

With a grin, Adora said, “Then I accept. If I win, you get the prize, and—” She looked around for a moment, trying to find something for Catra to get her. Her eyes landed on a set of small, rectangular boxes. “And you have to get me something from the—the Gashapon machine over there.”

“What the fuck is a Gashapon?”

“You know,” Adora said. Catra’s blank stare told Adora she did _not_ know. “They’re, like, the little machines in grocery stores. The ones you put a quarter in,” She explained. “You know, you—you turn the knob, a little ball falls out, and—”

“Oh!” Catra nodded in recognition. “I know those. You could’ve just said that, y’know.”

Adora rolled her eyes. “You’re going to law school in, like, eight months. I’m pretty sure you would have figured it out eventually.”

“Anyway, if _I_ win,” Catra said, ignoring the comment, “I get to top tonight.”

“How are those two things equivalent?”

“Hey, you had your terms! I get to have mine!”

Adora let out a chuckle. “Can’t argue with that. You said four, right?” At Catra’s nod, she got into position. She only had five more rings in her hand, so she’d have to make them count. 

Focusing her attention, Adora concentrated hard on landing the next one. With a gentle, easy motion, she threw one of the rings— and watched it land neatly on the lip of another bottle. 

“Two down, two to go,” Adora said, giving Catra a smug grin. She had four more left, after all. Why shouldn’t she be smug?

“Don’t get cocky, Grayskull.”

“Please. How hard could it be?”

Her question was answered almost immediately after, when the next toss bounced carelessly off the side of a bottle. The one after it flew too far over the set of ten. _Shit._

Freshly humbled, Adora looked down at the two remaining rings in her hand. “Come on, guys,” She muttered, closing her eyes. “Don’t let me down.”

“Are you talking to the rings?”

Adora shushed her gently, keeping her eyes closed. “It’s part of the process.”

As Catra stifled a laugh beside her, Adora fixed the bottles with a hard stare. She lifted a hand and carefully, with all the consideration in the world, threw it through the air. 

It landed with a _clank_ on the lip of one of the bottles, and Adora felt a spark of triumph somewhere deep inside her as it stayed in place. 

Time seemed to stand still as she threw the last ring, watching it spiral through the air gracefully. 

When it finally landed, Adora watched with bated breath as it spun once, twice, around the bottle’s neck— and came to a stop around it.

Adora pumped her fist in the air. “That’s what I’m talking about!”

Catra watched her with an endlessly fond expression. “You’re such an idiot.” 

“I’m a victorious idiot,” Adora corrected, dipping her into a dramatic kiss. “Claim your prize, princess.”

Catra let out a laugh against her, shaking her head as she leaned up to kiss Adora again. “The panther,” She said, standing up out of the dip. “He looks like Melog. It’s cute.”

Adora looked up at it and nodded. “I see the resemblance. Could we have that one, please?” She asked the attendant, pointing at the panther above them. 

The attendant, whose bored hadn’t flickered since they got there, pulled it down half-heartedly and handed it over. “Congratulations on the win,” They said, voice flat and monotonous. “Have a great rest of your day.”

“You too.” Adora passed the panther to Catra, who wrapped her arms around it fondly. “Alright,” She said, guiding them towards the Gashapon. “My turn.”

Catra rolled her eyes, pulling out a few quarters. “Any requests as to which one, or is it my choice?”

Adora considered the question. Before them stood a group of three identical machines. The one closest to them seemed to have little figurines of superheroes Adora was only vaguely familiar with, while the middle one had years-old candy she had no intention of putting near her mouth. 

The last one had small, multicolored plastic rings. 

“That one,” Adora said, nodding in the machine’s direction. “I want a ring.”

“Very romantic. Hold Melog for me, will you?” Catra said, pushing the panther into Adora’s hands. She dropped the quarter into the machine and spun until a small, plastic ball came out. She picked it up and held it out to Adora.

But rather than take it, Adora got an idea. “This is the weakest proposal I’ve ever seen,” She said. “I mean, at least get down on a knee.”

Catra rolled her eyes, but acquiesced. “Adora Grayskull,” She started, popping the plastic ball open, “you’re my best friend and the love of my life. Will you marry me?” The ring was slim, with a circular plastic band. A small, oval-shaped blue shape sat on top of it.

“I will,” Adora said sweetly. As Catra got to her feet, she stretched out her fingers. Catra slid the ring onto her ring finger. “For the record, when I propose to you for real, it’s going to be with a _way_ nicer ring than this.”

“So this is— what, an engagement ring?” Catra asked, raising an eyebrow. “When do I get one?”

“Depends,” Adora shrugged, giving her a grin. “When do you want to get married?”

Catra blinked once, then twice, and paused. “Wait, seriously?”

“Do I sound like I’m joking?”

“No,” Catra said, blinking again. “Wait, do you— do you want to marry me?”

“Catra, I’ve wanted to marry you since we were 18.” Adora raised her eyebrows. “And—and we don’t have to talk about it right now,” She said, “but I’ve been meaning to tell you for a while that that’s… where I’m at.” She trailed off a little at the sight of how wide Catra’s eyes were. “Oh. Fuck, was—was that too much—”

She was interrupted by Catra pulling her in for a hasty, deep kiss. “No,” Catra said against her lips. She kissed her again. “No, it—it wasn’t too much. I—” She interrupted herself with a surprised laugh. “I-I want that too.”

“Yeah?” Adora asked, half-giddy. “Seriously?”

“I mean, once we graduate, yeah,” Catra said, nodding. “Fuck. Yeah, I-I want that.”

In the moment, all Adora could think to say was, “Cool.”

“Cool? That’s it?”

“Yeah, I mean, that’s— that’s perfect.” Adora grinned. The smile on her face was wide enough to split it in two, and all she could think to do was kiss Catra again. 

If all went to plan, she would be doing it for the rest of her life.

“Wait,” Catra said, pulling back. “Do—do Bow and Glimmer know?”

“They knew before I did.” Adora grinned. “You think they’ll get married before we do?”

“Those two?” Catra grinned, leaning in to press their lips together again. “Not a chance.”

*** * ***

Glimmer always knew when Bow was lying to her. 

She figured it would be obvious even to someone who didn’tknow him. No human being needed to blink that many times, and it was _far_ too cold to be sweating as much as he was. 

Glimmer had been racking her brain for weeks now trying to figure out what he could possibly be hiding from her. 

Every time, she came up short. 

The first thought that crossed Glimmer’s mind was that he was cheating on her, but she dismissed it instantly. Bow would _never_. She knew that completely, and held onto it with an unshakeable conviction. 

The second was that he was going to break up with her, but that was unlikely, too. They’d been together for nearly eight years, after all. Years of experience told her that Bow wasn’t the kind of man to leave when things got hard. 

That left her with an uneasy, mildly unsettling knowledge that he knew something she didn’t. 

It wasn’t particularly oppressive, since her worst fears were taken care of, but she had harbored a vague sense of suspicion about the idea since their drive home from the airport.

Bow had been halfway through asking her a question when he cut himself off abruptly. It was out of character for him, as was the way his eyes widened and refocused firmly on the road—

Oh, no.

That meant he had a surprise planned.

Glimmer _hated_ surprises.

“Hey, is it hot in here?” Bow called from the bathroom. “It feels hot.”

Glimmer, who was burrowed deep in the covers of their bed, did _not_ think it felt hot. “I think that’s just you, babe,” She called back, snuggling deeper in. “Come to bed. I’m cold.”

A moment later, Bow’s response came. “Hey, I-I’m having a little bit of trouble with something in here. Can you come take a look at it?”

“In the morning,” Glimmer yawned. The clock read 11:27, and she had to be up earlier than usual to give Catra her official testimony. 

“I-I really think you should come take a look at it.” This time, there was a slight crack in Bow’s voice. That meant one of two things. 

One: he was telling the truth, and there was something legitimately wrong in the bathroom. 

Two: he was anxious about something else entirely, and Glimmer was about to find out exactly what her surprise entailed.

If it had been any other night, Glimmer would have thought the second one seemed more likely. Tonight, she just wanted to go to sleep. 

Throwing the covers off of her with a groan, she slumped over to the bathroom. “So, is it a plumbing issue, or—”

Glimmer cut herself off abruptly at the sight of Bow — clad in a shirt he’d had since college and a pair of flamingo boxers — down on one knee on the tile. 

In his hand was a neat black box. As she stared, eyes widening, he opened it to reveal a beautiful ring with three identical purple gemstones embedded into a simple silver band. 

“I know it’s late,” Bow started, swallowing hard, “and I know you have an early start tomorrow, but I’ve been wanting to ask you something for a long time now.”

Glimmer’s hand flew to her mouth. “Bow, are—are you proposing?”

“I am.” A slow smile began to spread over his face. 

“You’re fucking with me.”

“I’m not.” He shook his head. “Can— I have a whole speech prepared, so if you’re going to say no, I’d rather you do it now.”

“You— do the speech, you idiot,” Glimmer said, half-giddy. “Hurry up so I can kiss you.”

“So it’s a yes?”

“Bow, for fuck’s sake. I’ve been in love with you since we were 18 years old,” Glimmer rushed, her voice full of emotion. She felt tears start to prick at her eyes, and knew her words would come out watery. “Of course it’s a yes.”

Bow grinned, standing up. He walked over to Glimmer, closing the gap between them to engulf her in a massive, tight hug. She returned it, somehow squeezing him back even tighter, and when they finally pulled apart she had tears in her eyes. 

“Are you gonna do your speech?” She asked wetly.

“Oh, right,” Bow said. “Let me do one thing first.”

“What’s that?”

He smiled, and put a finger underneath her chin to tilt her face towards him. “Kiss my fiancée,” He said, leaning in slowly. Bow felt Glimmer sigh against him as they kissed, and he couldn’t resist leaving a few extra pecks on her lips, her cheeks, and her forehead for good measure.

Slowly, holding Glimmer’s hands to steady him, Bow lowered himself back down onto one knee. 

“I-I want to start off by saying that…” He was starting to tear up, too. Even after he swallowed, his voice came out thick with emotion when he spoke. 

“You’ve been my best friend for ten years.” Glimmer’s eyes were watering again, and Bow took that as a sign to continue. “You know me better than anyone in my life ever has or ever will, you’re my favorite person in the world, and you’re the love of my life.”

The first of many tears escaped, rolling down Glimmer’s face, and Bow felt his own throat start to burn with them. “I love you,” He said, smiling. “And I-I know that we’re pretty much already married in everything but name, but… I mean, people have been telling us for years to make it official, right?”

That got a laugh out of Glimmer — albeit a watery one — and he felt her squeeze his hand. 

“So marry me,” He said simply. “We can go somewhere in Washington, so it’s not too hard for your mom to make it, or—or in California, maybe, or—” Bow felt tears sliding down his cheeks, but didn’t care enough to stop them. “Anywhere,” He said. “As long as it’s with you. What do you say?”

Glimmer tugged insistently at his hand, pulling him back up for another tight, desperate hug followed by an even more desperate kiss, and he had his answer. 

Fisting a hand in his shirt and putting the other around his back, Glimmer pulled him in for kiss after kiss after kiss, each one salty with tears, until all she could do was rest their foreheads together. 

“I love you,” She said, eyes closed. Bow wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in for a hug that left their bodies flush. “Fuck. I—” She let out a laugh, and he pulled back for a moment to look at her face. “I can’t believe you proposed to me in our bathroom.”

“Blame Catra for that,” He said. “She said you probably wouldn’t want anything public. Too much pressure, not enough room for emotion. So I thought something private would be better.”

Glimmer’s smile widened. “She was right,” She said. “And so were you.”

“I’m always right. That’s why you keep me around, isn’t it?”

Glimmer leaned up to kiss him again, laughing against his lips. “Sure, Bow. That’s the only reason.” Bow pressed a kiss to her forehead, closing his eyes as she laid her head on his chest. They stayed like that for what could’ve been minutes or years, swaying in the doorway with their arms around one another. 

Glimmer had never been one for romantic comedies — or romance in general, really — but here, standing with the love of her life in a dimly-lit bathroom, she understood the appeal. Everyone deserved to feel like this. 

She knew there was an unimaginable amount of chaos and grief in her life, but in that moment Glimmer had never felt luckier.

“This was perfect,” She mumbled against him. “Thank you.”

“Anytime, honey,” Bow said, eyes still closed. “Come on. Let’s go to bed.”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Glimmer asked, pulling away for a moment to nod at the black box abandoned on the counter. 

Bow’s eyes widened, then crinkled as a soft smile took over his face. “Hold out your left hand,” He murmured, reaching for it. As Glimmer did, he slid the ring gently and carefully onto her ring finger, watching her track the movement with teary eyes. 

“It’s beautiful,” She said quietly, lifting it up to see it in the light. “Fuck. It’s beautiful, Bow.”

“I made sure it was workplace-appropriate, too. I checked OSHA’s website and everything.” He opened the drawer next to him and pulled out a small, silicone circle of casing that would fit over the ring. “As long as you put this over it when you’re in the lab, you should be—” He turned to see Glimmer giving him a strange look. “What?”

“I love you so much,” She said. “I— the fact that you thought of that is just—”

“Glimmer, you’re the head of R&D at one of the largest technology firms in the country, and you’re my wife. Of _course_ I thought about it.”

“I’m your _fiancée,_ ” She corrected. “When do you want to get married?”

“I was thinking spring,” Bow said, moving past her out the door. “That way, the weather is good, but we still have time to plan everything.” He reached out a hand. “But that can wait. Come to bed, sweetheart. Early morning tomorrow.”

Glimmer took his hand without hesitation. 

All the movies and books she’d read told her that she should be bouncing off the walls with excitement right now. In many ways, she was. 

Her head was spinning from the rush of it all, and her mind was whizzing with thoughts about catering and colors and dresses and the logistics that needed to be worked out.

But as she lay in Bow’s arms that night, feeling safer and more loved than she ever had in her life, she felt an overwhelming sense of peace. Falling asleep was the easiest thing in the world.

Glimmer knew the floaty, half-dreamy state she was in showed the next day, because Catra frowned as soon as she walked into the room. “What happened to you?”

Rather than answer, Glimmer raised her left hand for Catra to see. Her reaction was as expected. Catra’s eyes widened until they were practically the size of dinner plates. “Holy _shit_ ,” She said, bolting up out of her seat to look at it up close. “He finally did it?”

“He did,” Glimmer said, unable to stop herself from beaming. “He said you and Adora helped him.”

“Guilty as charged.” Catra hesitated only a moment before pulling her in for a hug. “Congratulations, Glimmer. I-I’m really happy for you guys.”

Glimmer smiled, closing her eyes as she returned the hug. “I know you are, Catra. I hope someday—” She cut herself off abruptly, deciding it wasn’t a good idea to finish the sentence. After all, she doubted _I hope someday Adora finally figures her shit out_ was a sentiment that Catra would appreciate. “Anyway. Are you ready for my testimony?”

“Yeah.” Catra frowned momentarily at the slip, but moved on gracefully enough. “What—what were you gonna say?”

Glimmer thought for a moment. “Just… that I hope you get to have that someday.”

“A proposal?”

“Yeah,” Glimmer said.

“It’s cool,” Catra shrugged. “I’ve never really been big on getting married.” If there was a hint of bitterness in her tone, neither of them wanted to comment on it. 

*** * ***

_SIX YEARS EARLIER._

Ever since she and Catra had talked about getting married, it was all Adora could think about. 

She knew Catra didn’t quite share her ability to hyperfocus on things — which, alongside _hyperfixation_ , was a new word she’d learned after spending eight hours recreating her parents’ house in Minecraft — but she _also_ knew it had been something on both of their minds recently. 

Unknown to Catra, Adora was planning a surprise. 

Most of the money she made from her job at the rec center went to rent, but she had been setting money aside for months in preparation for something special. 

In this case, _something special_ meant a simple, elegant, golden ring with a glittering piece of cubic zirconium jutting out from the band. 

Everything about the ring was planned. 

The gem, for example, was chosen specifically and carefully after Catra’s elective media class watched a documentary about blood diamonds a year prior. She had returned to their apartment a changed woman. Adora noticed everything she did, so she’d made a note of it immediately.

Catra’s ring size was a little harder to get, but Adora managed. That had been a little more devious. Neither of them wore rings often, but when her mother came to visit during winter break she’d brought one of Catra’s grandmother’s rings with her as a gift. 

It was a perfect fit. All it had taken to get her ring size was a tape measure and a simple calculation process. 

Adora had briefly considered telling Catra’s parents then and there, but figured she should wait until they were actually engaged to break the news. 

Finally, there was the color of the band. Adora knew silver — or platinum, but she was a college student working with a part-time salary — was more traditional, but Catra had always looked better in warmer tones. 

The gold Adora had found was fiery. It reminded her of one of Catra’s eyes, and she had fallen in love with it instantly. 

Bow and Glimmer had, of course, known about Adora’s plans since she came up with them in the first place. It had taken them a moment to get on board with the idea of getting married right after college, but it hadn’t been hard to convince them. 

_Sure, we’re young, but… you guys are perfect for each other_ , Glimmer had told her with a lopsided grin. _So, fuck yeah. We’re in._

They went with her the day she bought the ring. They could barely contain their excitement when Adora wrote the appropriate figure on her check, and she couldn’t help but match it when the jewelry store’s attendant finally slid the dark brown box over to her. 

It had a comforting, almost familiar weight in her pocket, and Adora knew the only place it would feel better was on Catra’s hand. 

That brought her to the next, slightly more daunting task: the proposal. 

She had it planned out. 

First, when they were only a few weeks from graduation, Adora would interrupt Catra’s studying to take her on a walk. _You’ve been at it for hours,_ Adora would say. _Come with me._

Then they would pass everything: their apartment building, the Thai restaurant where Adora first met Catra’s family, the music hall that held the memory of their first kiss, and so on. When the sun was setting and the lighting was just right, Adora would take them past their old dorm building. 

And then, as Catra was staring wistfully at the old brick and stone, Adora would take the opportunity to get down on one knee. 

From there, it would be easy. Adora had been working on her speech for years. 

Still, the waiting was getting hard. Graduation was just under two months away, and April was ticking by more slowly than it had any right to. 

There was, perhaps, _another_ reason that was happening. Two, really, if you counted them separately.

Adora hadn’t told her parents. 

She knew that beyond the money and the training and the endless questions about her grades and her classes, they wanted what was best for her. She just hoped that they would be able to see that the outcome of that was Catra, and not a desk job. 

Being with her made Adora feel… infinite. They were stronger together, they were better together, and if Adora played her cards right they would be a family together. 

They had a three-day weekend coming up, and Adora had decided to bite the bullet and head home for it. Catra had been a little confused when Adora said she couldn’t come, but had accepted it readily enough, so that was out of the way too. 

Adora knew her behavior the last few weeks had been… a little off. 

It was hard to keep herself normal when all she wanted to do was drop down on one knee whenever Catra walked in the room, but she’d done her best. Normally, that meant throwing herself into work and blaming it on upcoming finals, but she knew that excuse wouldn’t hold for long. 

Adora felt a sting of remorse thinking about how distant she had been. She hoped Catra wouldn’t be too worried. After all, if everything went smoothly, there would only be another few weeks of this before she could finally, _finally_ propose.

When the weekend finally came around, Adora left Catra with a strong hug and half a million kisses before leaving, doing her best to reassure her that everything was okay without admitting that anything was ever wrong. 

The train ride was easy, but long. Boring, too. She spent most of it looking out the window as song after song played through her headphones. 

Her parents were never there to pick her up from the station, so Adora knew as soon as she stepped off the platform at Grand Central Station that she’d need to call a cab instead. 

They were at their family’s Manhattan apartment — not to be confused with the house in the Hamptons, their Connecticut estate, or the villa in Cape Cod — so the drive was relatively short. 

Adora had missed the city. Something about the frenzied buzz of it always put her at ease. It felt like her: organized chaos, with a few million moving parts that all came together as one smooth machine. 

Still, nothing could stop the pit that grew in her stomach as she grew closer to her parents’ apartment. 

The car pulled up next to the block. Adora’s fingers began to tap out a fast, familiar rhythm against the seat as her other hand pulled out her wallet to pay. 

Two minutes and an elevator ride later, she was standing in front of her parents’ door. 

_You can do this,_ she thought, concentrating on the feeling of the ring in her pocket. It was warm, solid, and grounding. _Just one easy conversation, and the rest of your life is taken care of_.

Adora lifted a hand and knocked three times in quick succession. 

Her mother opened the door. “There you are,” She said, giving Adora with a thousand-watt smile that nearly blinded her. “I’ve missed you, darling. I trust the journey wasn’t too bad?”

“Uh, no,” Adora said, accepting the awkward, distant hug her mother attempted. “It was pretty easy. Is—is Dad home?”

Elizabeth sighed, shaking her head. “You know your father. Always working, never satisfied. He’ll be home in a few hours.” 

“Okay. That’s good, because—” Adora swallowed, gathering the courage to speak. “I have something I need to talk to you guys about.”

The hours ticked by slowly with just her and her mother there. Her mother had always been a gracious hostess, but she’d never quite known how to treat her own daughter.

Adora retreated to her old room fairly quickly, but neither of them seemed to mind. 

Her phone buzzed, drawing her attention to a text on the screen. 

_hey, loser. make it to your parents’ house okay?_

Adora smiled as she read it. Settling back against the pillows on her bed, she typed back a response.

_The train and taxi rides were okay. Not sure how visiting my parents is going to end up, but I’ll let you know._

Her phone chimed once, then twice.

_oof okay_

_call me before you go to bed? i miss your snoring_

Adora smiled to herself. 

_Always. You know I can’t fall asleep without you there._

Looking up, she heard the muffled sound of the door to Richard’s study opening, then closing. 

Her father was home, then. Adora swallowed the fear that rose like bile in her throat. _One easy conversation, then the rest of my life._

Richard was in a mood when she walked out. He looked uncharacteristically rumpled, with his shirt half-untucked from his pants and his hair messier than it had been. Adora frowned. “You okay, Dad?”

He jumped a little, startling at the sound of her voice before calming himself down again. “Adora,” He said, nodding. “Of course. I almost forgot—” He cut himself off with a shake of his head. “How was the trip?”

“Fine,” She said. Taking a deep breath, she said, “I-I actually have something I want to talk to you about. Mom, too.”

Richard’s expression flickered for a moment as he met his wife’s eyes across the room. Adora turned around to see her mother leaning against the doorframe. She had her reading glasses on. 

Walking over to where Richard stood behind his desk, she set them down gently on the smooth mahogany surface. “Well, you have our attention. What is it, darling?”

Adora took another deep breath, then another for luck. “So… Catra and I have been dating for three and a half years.”

Her parents shared a look. Something about it put Adora off-guard, and she had to fumble for the next part of her sentence. “And—and it’s— we’ve been thinking, and I—”

“Adora,” Her mother said, interrupting. “Remember what we told you growing up. Think about the words before you say them.”

That was true. Back when she was knee-high and still toddling around, Adora’s parents had discovered that a side effect of raising their child around so many languages — French, Spanish, Dutch, and Mandarin, to name a few — was that Adora often had difficulty with her sentences. Words blurred together, sentences ran on, and grammar was usually little more than a wishful dream. 

Well, Adora had thought about these particular words for a long, _long_ time. 

“I’m going to propose to her,” She said. Nervous eyes darted between her parents, watching them share another off-putting look. “We’re gonna get married.”

“I see,” Richard said. He let out an exhale. “Does she know yet?”

“Not yet. I mean, we’ve talked about the idea, but she doesn’t know about my plan. I-I want it to be a surprise,” Adora said, feeling herself smile in an attempt for lightness. This was a good thing, after all. Why _shouldn’t_ she be light-hearted?

The next look her parents shared was heavy. Still staring at his wife, Richard said, “I’m... afraid that won’t be possible.”

_What?_

Adora blinked. “What?”

“It won’t be possible.”

Adora blinked again, eyes darting between her parents. Neither of them would look at her. “Why the hell not?”

“Your duties to the company—”

“I’m sorry, _what_?” Adora repeated, half-incredulous. “Dad, I— okay. You know I’m more than willing to take over the company, but if—if you think I’m going to give up the first real happiness I’ve had—”

“ _First_ _real_ _happiness_ ,” Richard scoffed. “Please. We raised you to have _everything_. You should be grateful.”

“You _raised_ me,” Adora said, shaking her head, “to take over the company. I had private school soirees and horseback riding lessons, not friends.” She blinked once, then twice, still reeling from his earlier words. “I don’t— how can you _possibly_ think I’m not going to go through with this? I thought you guys _liked_ Catra.”

“We do,” Elizabeth said, chiming in. “She’s… smart, she’s ambitious, and you seem to enjoy each other’s company.”

Adora’s frown deepened, eyes widening. “That’s a _real_ funny way of saying we’re in love.”

If Elizabeth heard the statement, she chose to ignore it. “But we assumed she was nothing more than a college fling, dear. An… experiment, if you will.”

Adora let out a disbelieving bark of laughter, but there was no humor in it. “Are you fucking _kidding me_?”

“Watch your language,” Richard said. There was a hard, familiar edge to his voice that stopped Adora cold, and she had to fight to stop herself from flinching. “Your mother is right. This relationship was never going to last beyond graduation.”

Adora shook her head. “You’re wrong. And you know what?” She said, looking between them. “I don’t need your approval. I don’t need your—your financial support, I don’t need your influence— shit, I don’t even need your name.” Her jaw tightened. “Fuck this. I’m going back to Boston,” She said, already making for her room. 

Her father’s voice stopped her cold once more. “I don’t think you want to do that.”

“Why?” Adora snapped. “Please, Dad. Enlighten me.”

“Because if you walk out that door,” Richard said, not looking at her, “it won’t just ruin _your_ life.”

There was an implication to the words that made Adora’s blood run cold. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“After you two got together, we did some digging.” 

There was a filing cabinet in the corner of the room that Adora knew held their family’s most important information. 

Adora watched with her heart in her throat as Richard unlocked the topmost drawer, flipped through it for a moment, and paused for just a moment before pulling out a thick envelope labeled _Horde_. 

“Here,” He said, setting it down on the desk. “See for yourself.”

“What’s in there?” Adora asked hoarsely. Her eyes locked onto it. “What the fuck do you have on her?”

“Oh, it’s not just her. It’s her family, too.” Richard tapped the label that read her last name. “Did you know her father just took over as the head of HR for our Los Angeles branch?”

Adora’s head snapped up. “You wouldn’t.”

“Read it for yourself. It’s all documented, you see. Catra, she—she’s pre-law, isn’t she?” Adora made no move to answer, but it didn’t seem to matter to him. “Let me put it like this.” He slid the file over towards Adora. “If you walk out of this room, I’m going to make sure she never finds a job that isn’t flipping burgers or mopping floors.”

Adora blinked once, twice, then several more times before she registered that she was crying. Her vision blurred and her voice wavered as she asked, “Mom, how—how can you let this happen?”

“Oh, darling,” Elizabeth sighed. “We just want what’s best for you.”

“Catra is what’s best for me,” Adora said. “A _future_ is what’s best for me.”

“Adora, be rational. You’ve always been the heir to the company,” Her mother chided. “Having a wedding will complicate things. Having a wedding to a _woman_ , well… it’ll only complicate them further. Image is everything, my love.”

Looking between them, Adora shook her head. “You can’t be serious.”

“We are.” Richard tapped the file. “But it’s your decision, Adora. Read the file,” He said. “And ask yourself if one selfish action is worth ruining her life. You’re the one that’s going to live with the consequences.” 

Adora stood, silent and shell-shocked, as her parents filed quietly out of the room. It was dark outside, but her father had left his desk light on. 

All she could do was stare at the file. 

Every part of her was torn in two. Half of her wanted to run as far as she could, and the other knew she had to know just how bad it would be if she did. 

It couldn’t have been more than four steps to the desk, but in taking them Adora replayed four years of knowing Catra. Somewhere in the cluster of her scattered mind, she remembered every meeting, every night spent together, and every kiss. She remembered Aspen. She remembered their trip to New York. 

She remembered promise after promise, remembered _I love you_ s and a future with a Mont Blanc pen. 

Adora had never broken a promise in her life. 

She had made thousands, and had — to her knowledge — kept all of them. As a child, one of her au pairs had told her that to break a promise was to break not one, but _two_ hearts. 

_And for a heart as big as yours,_ she said, _it’ll only hurt more_.

As Adora sat down at the desk, pulling the file closer to her, she realized dimly that her au pair had been wrong. 

This was not a simple heartbreak. Heartbreak, after all, implied that whatever damage was done could be mended. 

This was dying. This was picking up a dagger, plunging it into her gut, and twisting until there was nothing left but bone and blood. 

This was unimaginable, it was irredeemable, and it was fundamentally unable to be fixed. 

Adora thought of the ring still tucked away in her jacket pocket and had to force back a sob. As she opened the file, her father’s words rang in her head. 

_Ask yourself if one selfish action is worth ruining her life_. 

Adora closed her eyes and thought of all the amazing, wonderful memories she’d spent the last four years building and made her decision.

With shaking hands and teary eyes, she opened the file.

*** * ***

By the time the case neared its end, Wednesday had come again.

Adora was grateful for it. This was something that had been weighing on her for months now, and to see it over was a relief.

It was more than that, of course, but she would focus on the victory before the loss.

Their weekly meeting, due to the chaos of scheduling her move and the company gearing up for the media storm about to ensue, was scheduled for 5pm this week. 

Traffic and overscheduling pushed it to 6:30, and the sun had set when Catra finally arrived at Adora’s office door. “Hey,” She said, pushing the door open. “Sorry I’m late.”

“No need to apologize,” Adora said, putting her hands up. “I’ve been in meetings since 9am, so I don’t hold it against you.” 

Catra’s hand fiddled with the doorknob for a moment before she began to walk over. “So,” She began.

“So.”

“The case goes to the judge on Friday.”

“It does.” Adora nodded. “And I leave on Monday.”

Catra blinked once, then twice, and let out a carefully-neutral exhale. “Monday. Um. Wow, that’s— that’s soon.”

“I figured there was no getting around it,” Adora shrugged. “Once the case is over, I don’t really have a reason to stay.”

A silence followed the words, and Catra found herself staring at the engraved nameplate on Adora’s desk. Next to it was a simple, white mug that read _World’s Okayest Boss._ As small and as stupid as it was, it made her smile. 

But the silence turned sour, and Adora shifted in her seat. “Hey, have—have you eaten? I was about to order dinner for the office, since it looks like it’s going to be a late night, so if you’re hungry…” Adora trailed off. 

Catra realized from how Adora was staring at her that she probably had a funny look on her face. “Oh. Um, no. I haven’t.” Catra blinked. “Eaten, I mean. Not since lunch.”

“Well, I was gonna order from a Thai place down the street. I-I know that green curry used to be your favorite, and Elisa always tells me how good—”

“Why do you keep doing that?” Catra asked, unable to stop herself. The question had been on her mind for months now. “Why—why do you keep remembering stuff about me?”

Adora blinked. “I— I’m sorry, Catra, I don’t understand—”

“And why do you still have the ring I gave you?” Catra interrupted, looking meaningfully down at the slight lump under Adora’s shirt. 

Adora’s face contorted in a mix of guilt, hurt, and fear as her hand flew subconsciously to her neck. Catra continued, “Why do you always get that stupid fucking hurt puppy look on your face whenever I’m short with you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Adora, you know _damn_ well what I’m talking about. Don’t pretend you don’t.”

Adora’s jaw ticked, and the veins on her neck jumped out as she spoke. “I _don’t_ , Cat. I don’t—”

“ _Don’t_ call me that,” Catra said, hearing her voice rise. “Don’t you dare. Look, I-I know we’re _reconciling_ , or whatever the fuck, but that doesn’t mean you get to—” She cut herself off, squeezing her eyes closed.

“No, by all means.” Adora’s voice was low, and taut with anger. “By all fucking means, Catra. Finish the thought.”

“That doesn’t mean you get to act like you’re still in love with me.” A loud, resounding silence followed the words, and Adora’s gaze dropped down to her desk. “You made that distinction _very_ clear six years ago.”

Adora closed her eyes. “That’s— Catra, you—you don’t know—”

“What?” Catra asked plainly. “What don’t I know, Adora?”

“You don’t—you don’t know what happened before that, I—”

“Before you _stopped loving me_?” Catra’s chest began to rise and fall faster, picking up steam with her anger. “You never told me _why_ , Adora, so don’t blame me—”

“Catra, that’s the _thing,_ I—”

“You what?” Catra bit out. “What, Adora? Fucking _say it—_ ”

“I _never_ stopped loving you!”

The room filled with a thick, heavy silence as the words rang out. Adora hadn’t raised her voice, but there had been enough of an edge to the words to cut Catra off completely.

“I’m sorry,” Catra started, blinking. “You _what_?”

Adora was already shaking her head. “This was a bad idea. I shouldn’t have—” She shook her head. “I— I’m sorry, but I think—”

“ _I_ think you should explain what the fuck you’re talking about,” Catra interrupted, staring openly at her.

Adora’s jaw tightened. When she slumped back in her chair, she seemed to crumple in on herself. Catra had never seen her look so small. “You seriously think I ever stopped? You were it for me,” She said hoarsely. 

She was crying, Catra realized. Her heart pounded and fluttered in equal measure as Adora brought her palm up to roughly wipe the tears away. 

“Adora, why the fuck—”

“No, it’s my turn,” Adora said, shaking her head. “You’ve talked over me for months. You’ve—you’ve set the rules for _months_. And I respected that, because—because I know why, but now—” She let out a ragged exhale. “Now it’s my turn.”

Catra nodded stiffly, but stayed quiet. After a moment, Adora took a deep breath and looked her in the eye. “I never stopped loving you, Catra. But— my—my parents, they—”

“Your parents?” Catra interrupted. “Seriously? You broke up with me because your _parents_ told you to?”

“It’s more complicated than that.”

“Well, please enlighten me, Adora, because right now it just sounds like you’re a fucking coward.”

“Catra, you _know_ my parents. You know how they are—”

“Are you seriously gonna make that excuse to me?”

Adora’s jaw was tight enough to hurt her. “Cat, you don’t—” She cut herself off sharply, pressing her fingers to her temple. “If you had heard the shit my dad said to me when I told him I was going to propose, you would’ve done the same thing. I was trying to—”

“Propose?” Catra asked, barely above a whisper. Her eyes were wide enough for Adora to see the whites all the way around them. “You—you were—” She swallowed, but it did nothing to help the dryness in her throat. “You were going to propose?”

Adora squeezed her eyes shut and drew in a shaky breath before she nodded. “Yeah.” Her voice cracked on the word, and it took her a few tries to keep going. “I-I had the ring and everything. Bow and Glimmer helped me pick it out.”

Catra didn’t trust herself to speak, because she knew that with the burn in her throat and the tears already welling at her eyes all that would come out was grief. 

Adora’s expression turned pained. “I— do you remember that weekend I spent with them in April?” At Catra’s jerky nod, she nodded. “I told them then. My dad told me I was being selfish, and—and my mom told me that they never thought of us as anything serious.”

“We’d—” Catra swallowed, trying to regain the stability in her voice. “We had been together almost four years.” 

“You think I didn’t tell her that?” There was an old, weary bitterness in Adora’s voice that made her sound far beyond her years. “They knew you, and—and they liked you, but they didn’t like _us_. And when I told them how serious it was…” She trailed off, rubbing at the back of her head for a moment.

“Adora, we were _adults_ ,” Catra said quietly. “It couldn’t have been—”

“They threatened you.” Adora was staring at a point on the wall somewhere behind her. “They threatened you, they threatened your future, and they threatened your family.” 

Catra’s eyes went wide again as she leaned back in her seat. “How did they find— I-I didn’t _do_ anything. How did they—”

“I don’t know,” Adora said, shaking her head. “But they knew your family was struggling to make ends meet. He gave me a fucking _file_ , Catra.” 

“What was in it?”

“Everything,” Adora said quietly. “The name of the therapist that diagnosed your sister. Your dad’s payroll information. Your mom’s social security number. The immigration status of everyone in your immediate family, plus most of your extended family. Records of criminal charges for people in your family, for—for Rogelio, for—”

“Rogelio’s never been arrested,” Catra said, frowning.

Adora shook her head. “Once. 2011, in Miami. Someone he was serving at a restaurant accused him of spitting in their food. He started signing to his boss to find an interpreter to defend himself, but the family thought he was throwing up gang signs, and—” She sighed. “It led to a physical altercation. They didn’t press charges, but… he ended up getting fired.”

Catra remembered that job, and remembered him leaving it. Distantly, she realized he had never told her why. “Oh.”

“That wasn’t all, Catra.” Adora closed her eyes. “They had your transcripts. Every grade in every class you’d ever had, from college all the way back to middle school.”

“How the _fuck_ did they—”

“I _don’t know_ ,” Adora repeated. “When I took over the company, I-I tried hunting down everyone that ever worked for my dad to figure it out, but none of them would ever talk. I fired most of them, and the rest resigned, so...” She shrugged. “Hopefully it’s not still a threat to you guys.”

“Adora, that’s _insane._ ”

Adora nodded. “I know. I-I couldn’t let them do that to you, or—or to your family. I had—” She paused, taking a breath. “I had to let you go.”

Looking at the broken, slumped form of the woman she loved— _used to_ love, Catra wanted so, so badly to be angry with her. And yet even now, finding out some of the worst information of her life, the words that came out of her were gentle. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

When Adora met her eyes again, Catra saw a deep sadness in them. “You would have fought for us. I-I couldn’t let that happen,” She said, shaking her head. “Not when it would put everything your parents and your family have worked for at risk.”

Catra knew, deep down, that Adora was right. There was nothing she wouldn’t have done to keep them together. She would have waged wars, moved mountains, and given her life. Maybe not _literally_ , but that wasn’t the point.

Even now, looking at how tired Adora looked, some newly-reawakened part of Catra just wanted to reach out for her. 

Her hand twitched on the desk beside her.

_Fuck it_.

Taking a deep breath, Catra laid her hand flat on the desk before turning her palm upward. “Look at me,” She said quietly. “Adora.” Watery blue eyes met hers, and Catra nodded down at her hand. “Come here.”

Tentatively, like she was afraid Catra would run away, Adora stretched out her own hand and put it in Catra’s. She was cold, but the feeling of her hands was painfully familiar. Catra couldn’t remember the last time they’d touched like this. 

“I’m sorry,” Adora said hoarsely. “For everything.”

“I know,” Catra said. Her anger had burned through her, leaving behind nothing but the embers of warmth. “I know you are.” She put her other hand on top of Adora’s and let her thumb stroke at the skin on top of her hand. “I am, too.”

“You don’t have anything to apologize for,” Adora said quietly, wiping away a tear with her free hand.

Catra shrugged. “Maybe not, but it feels like the right thing to say.”

Adora let out a wet laugh, nodding a few times. “You still want that curry?”

Catra looked down at the hand between hers and knew that if she stayed a second longer she would never leave. She shook her head, beginning to retract her hands. 

“Um, that was a _lot_ to process, so… I should probably head home,” She said, with only a twinge of regret to her voice. “I-I have to feed Melog, anyway. He gets pissy when his food is late.”

Adora nodded a few times. “Of course. Yeah, um. Take your time.” Her hands tapped on the table for a moment. “How’s he doing?”

“Melog?” Adora nodded, and Catra felt herself smile. “He’s okay.” After a moment, she added, “We both are.” 

As Catra stood to leave, she heard Adora ask, barely above a whisper, “Does he miss me at all?” There was a quiet longing in her voice, and Catra knew without knowing that there was a different thing she was asking.

Catra paused, her hand on the doorknob, and nodded after a beat. “Yeah,” She said, answering the unspoken question. “He does.”

*** * ***

**__** _SIX YEARS, SEVEN MONTHS, AND TWO WEEKS EARLIER._

To say that the last few weeks had been a living hell was an understatement. 

Adora was undone. Reading the file and having to accept its contents had led her to a clear, undeniable answer that broke her heart: as long as they were together, Catra was in danger. 

Her career was in danger. Her future was in danger. Her family was in danger. 

There was an inevitable conclusion to that thought, but it hurt too much to think about. Being around Catra hurt, too. Every time Adora saw her face or heard her voice, all she could think about was how badly she was going to end up hurt. 

It didn’t help that Catra _knew_ something was going on. 

She’d always been perceptive — growing up as her family’s eldest daughter had beaten it into her — but this was different. Adora knew it must have shown in the slow, painful way her words came out and the burning, fiery guilt that kept her from ever meeting Catra’s eyes when they spoke. 

It took two weeks for Adora to come to terms with what she had to do next. 

When she finally did, it was because of a bottle of whiskey and a Taylor Swift album on repeat. Catra was crashing at her friend’s house that night, which left Adora alone in their apartment. 

That meant silence. She had always hated silence. There was a ringing in her ears that followed it, and it only grew more and more deafening by the second.

Each tick of the clock on the wall rang like thunder in the empty apartment. Every rustle of Melog, twisting in his sleep against the toys in his bed, sounded like gunfire. 

Sitting at their counter, she felt like an over-full glass of water, where the only thing keeping her from spilling over the edge was surface tension. 

Halfway through the bottle of whiskey, Adora realized she was crying. 

Three-quarters of the way through the bottle of whiskey, she texted Bow and Glimmer. She’d just finished the last few drops when the door to the apartment opened. 

For one terrible, blinding second Adora thought it was Catra coming home. Then, as Bow poked his face through the door, she remembered she’d had keys made for them. 

“Hey,” Adora said hoarsely. “C’mon in.”

“Jesus. What the fuck happened to you?” Glimmer asked, pushing past Bow into the room. The sound of her footsteps startled Melog awake, and he let out a chirp at her as she walked by. “You look terrible.”

Adora nodded a few times, sniffling. She moved from the counter to the couch. Melog jumped up next to her a moment later, and didn’t hesitate to settle firmly on her lap. “It’s— I can’t do it.” Her voice cracked on the last few words. “I-I can’t marry her.”

“What?” Bow met Glimmer’s eyes over Adora’s head. “Adora, what— why not? You’ve wanted this for years—”

“I know,” Adora said, nodding. She was looking down at Melog, who was purring contentedly in her lap. “But… things change.”

Confusion, then fear flashed across Glimmer’s face. “So, what, you—you don’t love her anymore?”

“No!” Adora said instantly, whipping to look at her with wild, reddened eyes. “No, I— it’s not that. I-I could never notlove her.”

“Okay,” Glimmer said, confused. “So why are you drowning your sorrows?”

“Because—” Adora squeezed her eyes shut. “I told my parents.”

Glimmer shrugged. “Well, that was your first mistake.” Across from her, Bow made a face, pointing to Adora with a long-suffering look. _Be nice_ , he mouthed sternly. Glimmer felt a twinge of guilt, and continued, “Were they just dicks about it? Because that shouldn’t stop you from doing it.”

“No, it’s—” Adora let out a shaky breath. “They’re gonna ruin her.”

“Ruin her… how?”

“Think of a way, then think of a worse one,” Adora said hoarsely. “Then think of something worse than that.” She looked back down at Melog. “That’s how.”

Bow and Glimmer shared another look. “Adora, it—it can’t be that bad,” Bow said, aiming for reassurance in his tone. 

She let out a dry scoff. “He gave me a fucking _file_ , Bow. Like—like Catra’s some rogue FBI agent on a watchlist.”

“Why was that your first example?”

Adora gave her an annoyed look. “That’s seriously what you’re gonna focus on?”

Glimmer nodded in mild chagrin. “Fair point. Okay. Um.” She looked at Bow and began to grasp at straws. “Is there anything you can do?”

“As long as she’s with me, she’s in danger,” Adora said. Her voice had never sounded so hollow. “So… I have to leave.”

Bow’s eyes widened. “Wait, like—like you’re gonna break up with her?”

“What other choice do I have?” Adora asked. “If—if I stay with her, I put her and her family in danger. If I leave, I just break her heart.”

“You’d be breaking your own, too,” Bow said gently. 

“I’ll manage.” Adora gave Melog’s chin a scratch. “It would be better for her to hate me and keep her future than—”

“Be happy?”

“—than to be ruined, hating me, _and_ married to me,” Adora finished, giving Glimmer another look. “It’s— I don’t have any other options.”

“Adora…”

“I know,” She said quietly. “I just—” She swallowed, closing her eyes. “I don’t know what else I can do.”

Glimmer let out a small sigh. “It’s gonna kill her.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

“It’s gonna kill you, too.”

Adora’s jaw tightened. “I’ll have work. She’ll have law school. I-I’ll ask my father to put me in Chicago or San Francisco instead of Manhattan.”

“This is really what you’re gonna do?” Bow asked. 

“It is,” Adora answered simply. “I asked her to meet me at a coffee shop tomorrow.”

“God, you’re doing it tomorrow?” Glimmer shook her head. “That’s… soon.”

“Better now than later. And—and it won’t come as a surprise,” Adora said. “I’ve been… distant the last few weeks.”

Bow winced. “So she’s definitely noticed something’s up.”

Adora nodded, but stayed quiet. The ticking of the clock drew her attention, and she realized distantly just how late it had gotten. “I should go to bed soon,” She said, sighing. “I-I don’t— I don’t want to, but—”

“Tomorrow is gonna be hard,” Glimmer said gently. “But… we’ll be there for you. And for Catra. Do you have a place to stay when this is all—” Glimmer cut herself off, but Adora knew what she was going to say. 

It was the same word that had been on her mind for weeks: _over_.

“No.” She shook her head. “I-I was gonna stay in a motel for the first few days. I-I figured I’d get a bag ready tonight so I had some stuff to bring with me.”

Immediately, Glimmer shook her head. “Hell no. You’re staying with us,” She said, making eye contact with Bow. He nodded, agreeing silently. “Are you okay with the couch?”

Adora blinked, feeling tears rush back to her eyes. It was an unexpected kindness to receive. “Yeah,” She said, hearing her voice waver. “Yeah, that’s—that’ll be fine. Thank you.”

“No need to thank us,” Bow said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “But you should get some rest, Adora.”

They left soon after, murmuring between themselves as they did, and Adora felt the silence settle in again.

She couldn’t sleep, of course. 

Melog was cuddled up in the crook of her arm just like every night, and the fan provided a steady, ever-present hum in the corner. Usually, that was enough to lull her to sleep, but tonight…

Something was missing. 

More to the point, some _one_ was missing. 

Adora didn’t know how to wrap her head around the idea that Catra was going to be a stranger to her. 

They’d spent the last four years together at every moment, learning every little pattern and secret about the other in the process, and the idea— no, the _reality_ that all of their history was about to be buried was… unfathomable.

As if on cue, something fell down from a shelf beside her. 

Adora looked over to see the red cashmere scarf — the one she’d gotten Catra for their first Christmas together — lying on the ground. The thought brought tears to her eyes, but she reached for it regardless. 

She pressed it to her face, breathing the smell in deeply, and smelled Catra’s perfume mingling with the smell of wool. Just for a moment, she could imagine Catra was there with her.

When sleep finally came, it was fitful and light. Adora woke up with the scarf against her face. 

Her head pounded the next morning, and everything seemed a little too loud and little too bright, but she figured she’d earned the pain. 

As she packed a haphazard bag of clothes and toiletries, the scarf lay rumpled on her bed next to the panther she’d won for Catra at fair. After a moment of deliberation, Adora picked both of them up and placed them gently in her bag.

It wasn’t until Adora stood fully dressed, packed, and terrified at the door that she realized this was probably going to be the last time she saw Melog. 

The thought felt like a knife to the gut. 

Adora heard him chirp from somewhere behind her, a half-confused _mrrp?_ that she swore meant he knew more about her situation than he had been letting on. 

“Hey, buddy,” She said tightly, willing tears not to fall. She squatted down on the floor in front of him, holding her hand out for him to sniff. He rubbed his face along it, purring into her, and Adora’s jaw tightened so much it began to hurt. “I’m gonna miss you. I love you,” She said. “I love you so much.” With one final, shaky breath, she stood. “Keep her safe for me. Alright?”

Her response came as a gentle _mrow_ , and Adora felt the crack in her heart begin to widen.

The coffee shop was crowded when she got there. Adora was a few minutes early, because she knew Catra would be late, and it was only by luck that she was able to steal a table for them. 

Adora put the smaller of the two bags she’d backed on the seat, marking it as taken, before she stood to order their drinks. She put her hands in her jacket pockets out of habit. 

Then, as her right hand brushed up against something smooth and square, she frowned.

Adora realized, with a sinking, stabbing feeling, _exactly_ what she was touching. She had forgotten about the ring completely. 

A small, traitorous part of her brain told her to throw it all away and propose right here, right now. 

For a moment, she let herself imagine it. 

_We would run,_ Adora thought. _Leave the state— leave the_ country _, maybe, and start over somewhere new._ Adora let herself imagine a cramped, foreign apartment, a life on the run, and the promise of a future together that didn’t care about consequences.

She knew it was nothing more than a fantasy, but it made her smile anyway. 

By the time Catra arrived, wearing the leather jacket Adora had bought her over one of her old band shirts, Adora’s fingers were beginning to bruise from the amount she’d been tapping them against the wood of the table. 

“Hey,” Catra said, looking nervous. “Is everything okay?”

“I ordered you a drink,” Adora said, avoiding the question. “Um. A medium soy latte with hazelnut syrup. Your favorite.”

Catra took a seat, glancing down at it. “Thanks.” She took a sip, nodding in satisfaction at the taste. 

“So, um,” She said, frowning lightly at where Adora’s fingers were twisting something that hung on a chain around her neck. It was the plastic ring she’d gotten for her, Catra realized. _Weird._ “What—what’s going on?”

“Right.” Adora blinked. She felt like she was going to throw up. Her eyes dipped downward. “Um. Catra, listen, b-before I say this, I—” She let out a shaky exhale. “I want you to know, this isn’t—” She closed her eyes. “What I’m trying to say is—”

“Adora, you’re scaring me,” Catra said, letting out a nervous laugh. Her jaw was visibly tighter than it had been seconds earlier. She put her hand on Adora’s where it sat, jittery, on the table.“You know you can tell me anything.”

Adora stared at where their hands were touching and took in a steadying breath. “I know we’ve been together for a while now, and I—” She closed her eyes. “With graduation coming up, we’re about to… enter a new phase in our lives.”

“Why are you talking like a self-care pamphlet?” Catra asked, narrowing her eyes in a mix of suspicion and fear. “Adora, please, just—just talk to me. What’s going—”

Catra kept talking, but Adora couldn’t bear to listen. Behind her closed eyes, she saw four years of memories crop up all over again. More than that, she remembered their firsts. 

She remembered their first kiss, at the bench of an old piano. 

She remembered their first proper date. 

She remembered their first time. 

She remembered her first time meeting Catra’s parents, their first vacation together, their first time signing a lease together.

She remembered four years of firsts, and somewhere between them all Adora realized distantly that they now had _lasts_.

Dimly, Adora remembered their last kiss. 

It had been just the day before, when Catra was leaving for Mermista’s apartment. It hadn’t been more than a peck on the lips, really. Adora didn’t know if it was a memory or just wishful thinking that she had hugged her a little tighter after it. 

“I don’t love you anymore,” Adora said quietly, opening her eyes. She knew she had interrupted Catra, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. She stared at the table, since the idea of seeing Catra’s reaction would have broken her. “I’m—” There was a burn in her throat that cut her off. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry?” Catra said, hoarse. “You—” She blinked, leaning back in her seat. “I-I—” She swallowed. “Adora, I don’t understand.”

“I know,” Adora said simply. “I’m sorry for that, too. I wish—” There was a crack in the wood of the table, she realized. It ran into the grain. “I wish I could tell you why, but I—”

“Well, what the fuck am I supposed to do about it?” Catra asked, raising her voice. “I mean, I— we could try counseling, or—or some bullshit like that, or—”

“Catra,” Adora pleaded. “I— that’s not a good idea.”

“Why not?” Catra asked, voice hard as steel. “God, at least fucking _look at me_.” Adora did. She saw hot, angry tears sliding down Catra’s face. “We can fix this, Adora. You said we’d _always_ be able to fix it.”

Adora remembered page after page of records, charges, and threats, and tightened her jaw. “Not this time. I’m sorry, Catra. I-I packed a bag before I left the apartment, and—and I said goodbye to Melog, so—” She let out a shaky exhale. “You won’t have to see me again.”

“Tell me why.” Adora opened her mouth, no doubt to say something like _I can’t_ , and Catra snapped, “Tell me _why_ , Adora. You fucking owe me that.”

After a beat, Adora dropped her eyes down to the table again. “I-I don’t know how to explain it, Catra.”

“Try.”

A pause. “It just happened.” 

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.” Adora’s voice came out weary. “I’m sorry.”

“Stop fucking apologizing,” Catra said, wiping a furious tear away with the palm of her hand. “I— so, what? We’re over?”

“Yeah,” Adora said hoarsely. “I think so.”

Catra blinked once, then twice. “Get out.” Her voice came out cracked and thin, like it was a dam about to burst. Adora knew instantly that the sound of it would ring in her mind for the rest of her life. 

With a jerky nod, Adora stood, feeling the ring jostle in her pocket. “I—” She bit her lip. “There are a lot of promises I couldn’t keep,” She said, staring at the ground. “I’m sorry.”

“Adora, please,” Catra whispered. “Get out.”

Adora nodded. “I’ll get my stuff from the apartment sometime when you’re not there.” Catra gave her a stiff, sniffling nod. 

Adora felt her heart finally break when the door to the shop closed behind her. 

There was a numbness to it at first. All throughout the drive to Glimmer and Bow’s apartment, she felt it sitting heavy and cloudy inside her, like a fog waiting to clear. 

Then, after the hugs and the _we’re here for you_ s and the trip to the liquor store for another cheap bottle of whiskey, when Adora found herself alone on a couch in the dark with nothing but a stuffed animal and an old scarf to keep her company, the pain finally hit her. 

Devastating wasn’t enough to describe it. 

Unimaginable wasn’t enough to describe it. 

For a moment, among the physical wrench of her heart and the stab of grief and anger and self-loathing that hit her, Adora thought she was going to die. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always alex and i are on tumblr @adorasheart and @brightbolts respectively. come scream at us about where to send your therapy bills


	5. invisible string

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The case ends. One chapter of this story closes forever, and the next begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi everybody!! im so sorry about the wait on this chapter. a mix of finals and chronic mental illness kinda fucked me there lol but! i could not be more excited to finally share the end of exes au with you guys :'))) the amount of support you've all given alex and i is absolutely unreal and it means the world that you guys love it so much. thank you for sticking with us through emotional pain and heartbreak. 
> 
> here's your happy ending :) i love you guys

The case ended on a Friday. 

Adora hadn’t slept a wink the night before. 

She knew that Catra’s expertise would carry them through it. She had never doubted that for a second. Still, she couldn’t help the fluttery feeling of nervousness that rose up in her chest as she walked into the room. 

Normally, as Catra had explained earlier, patent litigation didn’t require a courtroom setting. It certainly didn’t require a jury, which explained the lack of people sitting in the row of benches along one wall. 

But rather than settle their debate in a conference room filled to the brim with suits and sneers, Prime had insisted on a more traditional setting.

Considering it meant Adora would get to watch Catra in full lawyer-mode, Grayskull was happy to oblige.

She shifted in her seat, resisting the urge to loosen her tie. Adora had picked one of her snappiest, sharpest suits for the occasion— a habit she learned from her mother, who reminded her constantly that regardless of a situation’s outcome, image was _everything_.

Looking at the sleek silver watch on her wrist and the cufflinks that matched it, Adora thought she’d done a good job. 

And judging by the way Catra’s eyes had widened when she took in Adora’s outfit — in this case, a dark red velvet suit over a white shirt with an open collar — she wasn’t the only one. 

Catra looked damn good, too. She’d shed her usual workplace-appropriate attire for a pencil skirt, a tight black blazer, and a red blouse that hung open enough to be considered borderline inappropriate. 

Adora only realized they were matching when Glimmer showed up and frowned at them. “Oh my God. Guys, you should’ve told me we were wearing red!” She said, gesturing to the purple shirt she wore. “If I knew we had a theme, I would’ve followed it.”

“What?” Adora frowned. She looked between her and Catra as the realization set in. “Oh.” 

She and Catra spoke at the same time. 

“No, we—” 

“Oh, we—we didn’t plan this, it—”

“It just happened,” Adora finished lamely, making eye contact for half a second before dropping her gaze. 

They had always been too in sync, it seemed. 

It was the first time they’d spoken since their conversation a few days prior, but Adora figured that was alright. There was a peace between them, however uneasy. Adora knew that her confession had changed things between them. 

The only issue was that she wasn’t sure _how_. 

True, there were no more sideways looks. Catra didn’t look at her with the same cautious, wary expression she had for months. That was progress. She would take it.

But there was _also_ the fact that, when Adora revealed her feelings, Catra didn’t reciprocate. 

Adora didn’t hold that against her— after all, it wouldn’t have been fair or realistic for her to expect that her feelings would be returned. It had been years since they dated, and she knew she had only herself to blame.

That didn’t change the fact that it stung a little.

But years of experience told Adora that if Catra wanted to talk, she would say something. That soothed her a little.

Right now, she was focused on winning the case. Right now, Adora was, too. 

Right now, that was enough.

An awkward silence settled for a moment as Glimmer looked between them, and Adora realized neither of them had spoken in quite some time. “Oops,” She said lamely.

“Okay,” Glimmer said carefully, eyes flicking back and forth. “Well, that was weird. If you guys would excuse me, I’m gonna find Bow. He said he’d get us some coffee before it started.”

Her departure left them alone. 

Just as the silence began to choke them, Adora cleared her throat. “Um. Hey, good luck today,” She said, meeting Catra’s eyes tentatively. “If you need anything, I’ll be right there.”

Catra blinked once, then twice. “Thanks,” She said quietly. “You think anything is going to go wrong?”

“With you representing us?” Adora raised an eyebrow. “Never. If you need anything, just… y’know, look at me, and I’ll give you a nod.” Glimmer motioned to them from inside the courtroom, mouthing _5 minutes_ , and she let out a sigh. 

“Looks like it’s showtime,” Catra said. There was a note of quiet disappointment to her voice that surprised Adora. Her first instinct was to think that it was because Catra didn’t want it to end, but she knew that wasn’t possible. 

Pushing down the sharp, guilty feeling of disappointment that rose up inside her, Adora gave Catra a small, genuine smile. “I’ll see you on the other side.”

When they walked in, Adora took a seat in the front row of the audience. Catra and Prime both had access to her official testimony, so she wouldn’t need to take the stand.

Catra settled behind one of the desks and straightened her back. She took in a few deep breaths, holding each one for a few seconds, before releasing them slowly. 

The judge stepped inside, the room stood, and the clock struck 9am. As Prime’s lawyer stood, no doubt prepared to give their side’s opening argument, Catra paused for a moment and looked back.

The lawyer in question — Hordak, Adora thought — was a smug-looking blonde man with slicked-back hair. Adora looked him up on her phone as he spoke. 

_Top of his class at Yale, comes from a powerful New England family_ , she read, hiding a smile as she looked up from the screen at where Catra was tapping the end of her pen against a legal pad. 

_Catra’s going to_ eviscerate _him._

Adora was watching Prime, but the flicker of movement in her periphery drew her attention.

She turned to see Catra staring at her with a tight expression. Adora could see the worry written plain across Catra’s face, though she was doing a remarkable job of hiding it from everyone else. 

Giving her a smile and two thumbs-up, Adora mouthed, _You got this. Knock him dead._

Prime’s opening argument finished, and their lawyer sat. Catra gave Adora a small smile and a nod before she stood to give a practiced, prepared speech. 

As expected, Catra did a _phenomenal_ job at winning them the case. 

Her voice never wavered, she never misspoke, and her arguments were concise and clear enough for everyone in the audience to understand.

That brought a smile to Adora’s face. 

She remembered years and years of Catra fuming about how _way_ too many lawyers in the media covered up their arguments with flowery legal language, as if preventing normal people from understanding them was a badge of honor and not — in Catra’s words — _the mark of someone who doesn’t know what the fuck they’re talking about_. 

Catra had sworn for years that she would never do that, and she was right. 

Half of the words that came out of Hordak’s mouth were in Latin. The other half dripped with condescension. 

To Adora, all that meant was that he knew he didn’t have a case. 

She was right. 

By the time Catra gave her closing statement, he was on the verge of tears. By the time the judge nodded, gave his verdict, and closed the debate for good, he had his head on his desk. 

Catra pumped her fist a little where she stood, trying _very_ hard to remain professional after her first big win, and Adora couldn’t help but shoot up from her seat, leaning over the railing to talk to her. 

“That was amazing, Cat,” Adora said, giving her a broad, toothy grin. Neither of them seemed to realize that Adora had used the nickname. “I mean, seriously. He looked like he was going to cry.”

“That’s because he didn’t have a case,” Catra said smugly, leaning a little closer to her. “He’s also not very good at his job. Nepotism has a funny way of working out like that.”

“Then he should’ve known better than to go up against you.” Adora could’ve sworn Catra’s breath fluttered for a moment, but she chalked it up to the adrenaline of winning. 

In any other case, Adora’s first reaction would have been to pull her in for a hug, but she knew it wasn’t appropriate. 

Her arms twitched by her sides. “But… I mean it. We couldn’t have done this without you, so… thank you.” She brought one of her hands up to scratch at the back of her head. 

“Hey, thank you for giving me such an easy first case.”

Adora grinned, then shook her head in disbelief. “I almost can’t believe it’s over.”

Catra nodded. Her smile dimmed after a moment. “So this is it, then.”

 _Ah_ , Adora thought. _Right_. 

She had been dreading this for days now. It didn’t feel fair that their paths were about to diverge again _just_ as she and Catra were making progress. 

Even though her reaction to finding out the truth of what happened six years prior hadn’t been the negative, explosive one Adora had expected, she didn’t know if Catra would ever want to see her after this. 

That was terrifying in and of itself. Adora knew instantly that if Catra _didn’t_ , it would break her heart all over again. 

“Yeah,” She said, looking down. “This is it.”

Catra was quiet for a second. “When does your plane leave?”

“Tomorrow morning,” Adora said, shrugging. She didn’t seem to notice the flash of pain across Catra’s face. “The Board moved it up a bit sooner.”

“Yeah,” Catra said hoarsely. “That—that _is_ soon.” She looked down. “Well, um, I-I have paperwork I need to get done soon, so…”

Adora nodded, following the change in subject. “Um. I-I sent your check for this week over to your boss along with—” She cut herself off. There was no reason for her to reveal the surprise this quickly, and if it turned out badly, she didn’t want to be there for it. “Well, anyway. Can I give you a ride back to the firm?”

“Is your car cheaper than an Uber?”

“Not for me,” Adora said, smiling as Catra stifled a laugh. “But I’ll throw in a free trip for you. The limo’s out front.”

After a moment’s consideration, Catra shook her head. “It’s not too far. I can walk,” She said. At the flicker of confusion and concern on Adora’s face, she continued, “It’s okay. I appreciate the offer.” She gnawed at the inside of her lip for a moment, looking very much like there was more she wanted to say. 

“Is something wrong?” Adora asked, resisting the urge to touch her.

“No,” Catra said. “No, nothing’s wrong.” There was a note of longing in her voice that Adora was sure she hadn’t imagined. The car pulled up out front, and Catra nodded towards it. “But, um. It looks like your ride is here.”

For one selfish moment, Adora considered telling her driver to take the long way back to her apartment. She considered telling her driver not to take her at all. She considered kissing Catra then and there until they were both breathless and gasping for air. 

But the fantasy dissipated quickly. 

Here, now, in the lobby of a courtroom, Adora nodded. “It looks like it.” She paused for a moment. “Before I go, I-I have something for you. Just—just stay there for a second.”

Leaving for the car, she returned moments later with a small, neatly-wrapped rectangular box. “Here,” Adora said tentatively. 

After a half-second’s pause, Catra took it. “Can I open it now?”

“I’d kinda prefer you didn’t,” Adora shrugged. “Open it in your office. There’s—there’s a little note in it, too, so don’t be surprised when you see it.”

Catra paused for a moment, holding it in her hands. “You didn’t have to do this for me,” She said quietly.

“I wanted to.” Adora gave her one final, infinitely tender smile. “I have to go, but… promise me you’ll wait to open it?”

“Alright,” Catra said hoarsely. “I-I promise.”

Adora nodded, walking towards the set of doors again. A word from Catra stopped her. 

“Adora?” She paused, turning back. 

“Have a safe trip.” The words were quiet, and held a multitude of emotions inside them. 

Just for a second, Adora thought they might mean something else. She nodded a few times. “I will, Catra.” She gave her a lopsided smile. “I promise.”

*** * ***

True to her word, Catra waited until she walked through the door to her office to even look at the present again. 

It sat in the inner pocket of her coat, the weight of it resting solid and heavy against her chest. 

Though the wrapping job was impeccable — Adora had always had excellent attention to detail — and the paper more than obscured whatever sat underneath it, Catra had a feeling deep in her gut that she knew _exactly_ what was inside.

Her coworkers congratulated her on a successful case as she walked inside, and her boss even leaned out his office door for a moment to nod approvingly at her. 

She barely heard any of it. Instead, she heard an old, familiar melody played on the piano and the sound of the love of her life calling her an old nickname.

Catra closed her door when she walked in. She sat down behind her desk, put the present on top of it, and just stared for a moment at it. 

Then, with trembling hands, she carefully undid the wrapping. Catra made sure not to tear the paper, feeling it sit with weight and gravitas under her hands. She slid it gently off of the package to reveal a small, neatly folded note atop an oblong rectangular case. 

Catra took the note off of the top, revealing a small label etched neatly into the smooth top of the case. 

She had known from the moment Adora handed her the present exactly what it would be, and she was right. 

Because the label, in square, blockish text, read _Mont Blanc._

The pen was _beautiful_.

It was a smooth blue color, with gleaming golden accents around both the tip and the base of it. Along the clip, in small, pristine lettering, read the initials _C.H._

Catra uncapped it to see an ornate nib on the end. Adora had opted for a fountain pen, it seemed. The metal rippled in a way she had never seen before, but that thought was buried by a wave of swirling emotions that had just begun to crest. 

Placing the pen gently back in its case, Catra unfolded the note. 

_To Catra:_

_First of all, congratulations on the win. None of us ever doubted you for a second— especially not me. Here’s to the smartest, fiercest, and most amazing woman I’ve ever known._

_There’s too much between us to put my gratitude fully into words, so for now I’m going to settle for thanking you for everything— for your bravery, for your resilience, for your grace and your intelligence and your work ethic._

_Thank you, Catra._

_You put yourself through hell to help me. I know that. I think I’m going to spend the rest of my life apologizing for that. But, as selfish as it sounds, I missed you._

_I still miss you._

_You don’t have to miss me— I know I’ve probably burned that bridge a couple times now. I’m sorry for everything I put you through: all the doubts, all the insecurity, all the anger. I wish I could erase it, but I can’t, and I’ve accepted that._

_I broke just about every promise I ever made to you, but I thought..._

_...Maybe I could keep this one._

A droplet of water landed, smudging the ink underneath her, and Catra realized distantly that she was crying.

 _Every lawyer needs a good pen. I hope you can accept this one_.

 _—A_.

Catra read the letter once, then again, then over and over until its contents was seared into her mind. She didn’t know how much time passed as she sat, listening to the ticking of the clock and the pounding of her heart. 

Thoughts were racing through her head at a million miles an hour. She did her best to corral them. 

In doing so, Catra came up with three basic points. 

The first: she had won her first big case, and had done it with enough spectacle and grace that every major news article would know her name within the hour. 

The second: Adora was in love with her, and she was leaving in less than 24 hours to spend months on the other side of the country. That didn’t mean they would never see each other again, but it _did_ mean they wouldn’t see each other until the next year at the earliest. 

The third: Catra was horribly, irreparably, and devastatingly in love with her, too. 

Catra leaned back in her chair, bringing a numb hand up to wipe away the tears on her face.

Not knowing what else to do, Catra called Scorpia. 

The time difference between them — since Scorpia had returned to Palo Alto — meant that there was an hour before her first class started. Scorpia picked up easily. 

“Hey, Wildcat. What’s— wait, are—are you crying?”

“No,” Catra said, sniffling. “Yes. Fuck. I-I need your help. It’s—” She closed her eyes. “It’s about Adora.”

Scorpia made a noise of concern. “Oh, crap. Okay. Let me take a seat.” There was a rustling of fabric on the other side of the line. “Okay. Hit me.”

“I— fuck, I-I don’t even know where to start,” Catra said. Her vision was blurry with tears, and she did her best to blink them away. 

“Start from whatever is bothering you the most,” Scorpia said gently. “I’m good with context clues.”

Catra nodded, then realized Scorpia couldn’t see her. “Right. Okay.” She took a deep breath. “So, it—it turns out Adora didn’t break up with me because she stopped loving me, she did it because her parents threatened to, like, destroy my family, but she _still_ loves me, and I—”

“Wait, destroy your family?”

“Long story,” Catra said, letting out a sharp exhale. “But I— fuck, she’s—she’s been so fucking _respectful_ and so _considerate_ it’s—” She shook her head. “It was really hard to hate her. And she—she gave me this _stupid_ , _beautiful_ fucking pen that she always said she’d buy me after I won my first case, and—” She broke off as the tightness in her throat squeezed again. 

Scorpia was silent for a moment, clearly waiting. “And?” 

“And I—” Catra closed her eyes. If she said the words, it would mean they were real. 

“And I love her, too.”

She heard a slow, whistling exhale in return. “That’s big. Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Catra said, nodding to herself. She rubbed at her forehead. “Being around her hurt, until it didn’t. Seeing her, and—and remembering everything hurt, until it didn’t, and I—” She closed her eyes. “Now, all I want is to be with her again, even if I-I don’t know what that means yet.”

“So what’s stopping you?”

“She’s moving to San Francisco tomorrow morning.”

A pause. “That would do it.”

Catra let out a quiet, frustrated groan. “What the fuck do I do?”

“Well, long distance is a thing,” Scorpia said. Catra could _hear_ the shrug in her voice. “I mean, assuming you know for a fact she’s not going to do the same thing again. That’s what I’m worried about.” 

“I am, too.”

“Yeah, but…” Scorpia paused for a moment. “I met you right after she dumped you, and the person I saw then was… broken. There’s no way in hell I’m letting her do that to you again.”

“I know,” Catra said, smiling a little to herself. _I really should call Scorpia more_ , she thought dimly. “I know. You’re a good friend.”

“I do my best.” There was a brief pause between them before Scorpia spoke again. “So, you two are in love with each other and she’s moving to the other side of the country in less than 24 hours. What are you going to do about it?”

In the split second that followed, Catra saw herself presented with two options. 

The first was the easy, non-confrontational route. 

In that one, Catra would let Adora go. Their connection would wane and their time would pass, and the hole in her heart would stay empty.

Time would go on around them. They would find other people and drift apart, and stay in an awkward in-between for the rest of their lives. The intersection of their stories would come to an end.

Option number two was very, very different. 

Instead of letting her leave, Catra would storm over to Adora’s apartment, confess everything with tears still drying on her face, and kiss her until they were both breathless. Then, when they were both panting against each other, they would figure out the rest.

The second option— well, for lack of a better word, it terrified her. 

It was poorly-thought out, it was half-baked at best, and it was absolutely, batshit insane.

Catra knew instantly and without a shadow of a doubt that it was the right one. 

“I’m gonna tell her,” Catra said, half-surprised at herself. “I—” She blinked. “I’m gonna take the rest of the day off, I-I’m gonna go to her apartment, and I’m going to tell her.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Scorpia asked. There was no judgement in the question.

Catra let out an amazed laugh. “I have no fucking clue.”

Scorpia chuckled. “Listen, wildcat. I trust you. You know yourself better than I do, and you’re probably the smartest person I’ve ever met, so if this is what’s right for you…”

“I think it is,” Catra said. “I’m gonna make sure things are different this time, and… I think she will too.”

“I just don’t want to see you hurt again.”

Catra paused for a moment. “I don’t think I’m gonna get hurt this time,” She said, surprisingly sure. 

“How do you know?”

“I don’t.” Catra smiled to herself and looked over at the pen. “But she kept one promise to me. What’s a few more?”

*** * ***

If it had been anywhere else, Adora might have felt sad about seeing her life in boxes. Truthfully, though, seeing the apartment bare wasn’t anything new. 

The furniture was gone, true, and her bedroom had been reduced to little more than a few duffels of clothes and a bed. But the piano still sat parallel to the windows, and the kitchen was still as stark and as stainless as ever. It didn’t feel like much had changed. 

The TV was on, with some newscaster talking in a low hum to make Adora feel less alone. 

It didn’t work. 

Maybe that was a good thing, Adora thought. If it felt like too much was happening, or that she _wasn’t_ alone, she would miss the city more than she was expecting to. Leaving would be the hardest thing she’d done in a long time.

She could feel an aching tug in her chest even now. Granted, that had more to do with one of the city’s inhabitants rather than the place itself, but still. She counted it. 

Speaking of the inhabitant in question, well… the image of the pen was seared into her mind. 

Adora remembered the night she’d ordered it, how nervous she’d been to have it ready in time. It had been a few days after Glimmer had hosted the four of them at her and Bow’s apartment. 

Back then, Adora didn’t know Catra was going to walk stiffly into their meeting with a new aversion to her.

Because of that, actual _giving_ of the gift had taken weeks of further deliberation, but she’d finally decided to do it. 

Adora knew a ballpoint pen would have been more practical. She _also_ knew — better than most — that Catra had always liked a little bit of elegance in her life.

The note had been… a little harder to write. It had taken her many, many tries to get what she wanted to say down. Even then, she was sure it hadn’t come out exactly as she wanted. 

There were three very specific words she wanted to say, but Adora knew that it wouldn’t have been fair to Catra. It was better to leave gracefully than to risk it all for a second chance. 

Adora closed her eyes, trying to steer her thoughts away from Catra. 

Their story was over. Thinking about it now would only twist the knife deeper. 

Adora had just made up her mind to start packing her clothes when a knock came at the door. Adora frowned. It had only been an hour or so since the trial finished, and Bow and Glimmer had both returned to work.

She opened the door to see Catra there, shivering from the cold. There was a wild look in her eyes. 

Adora’s first reaction was that something had gone horribly wrong. “Catra? Are—are you okay? Is something—”

“Shut up,” Catra said instantly. Adora’s mouth closed with an audible _click_ , and she continued, “Listen to me. You can’t just—just come into my life after _years_ away from it and tell me you never stopped loving me, because—” Catra closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. 

“Because that would mean I’d have to tell you I never stopped loving you, either.”

A beat. 

Adora’s eyes widened. “What?”

“I love you,” Catra said simply. There were tears running down her face, Adora realized. Without thinking, she lifted a hand to wipe them away. “I always have.”

It was like seeing in color again. Adora’s heart jumped, leapt, and finally sputtered to life after years of laying idle. She blinked again, feeling her open mouth slowly forming a toothy smile, and took a slow step forward as she cradled Catra’s face in her hands.

“I love you too,” Adora said softly. Catra’s hands landed instantly on her waist and tightened in the fabric of her shirt.

“And I-I don’t know if I want to get back together, or—or anything, but we’re both here and you gave me that _stupid, beautiful_ fucking pen, and it—” Catra shrugged, voice trembling only a little. “I don’t want to lose you again.”

Adora’s vision blurred with tears, and she stroked the line of Catra’s cheek gently. “I don’t want to lose you, either. I never have.” She swallowed, feeling a burn in her throat. “And, _god_ , I-I’m so sorry I did the first time.”

“First time,” Catra repeated. “So you think there will be a next time?”

Adora smiled. “I hope so. I want there to be.” Her voice was hoarse and quiet, barely above a whisper. 

She cleared her throat. “See, um, there’s—there’s this girl. I’ve known her since my first day of college.” A tear made its way down Adora’s face, but she didn’t move her hands. “She was in the dorm next to me, and she asked me to help her build a cabinet because nobody else would.” 

Catra took in a deep, shaky breath and closed her eyes, leaning into Adora’s touch. “What happened then?”

“Then, I fell in love with her. Who could blame me?” Adora said, pressing a kiss to Catra’s forehead. “She made it so easy.” Even through the tears on her face, Adora’s smile could have blinded someone. “She was braver than me, though. She made the first move when she kissed me in a practice room in our second semester.” She paused for a moment, taking in the sight in front of her. “I never looked back.”

Catra let out a watery, shuddering laugh and opened her eyes again. “You’re such a sap.”

“I let her go once,” Adora said, wiping away a stray tear with her thumb. “And I don’t plan on doing it again.”

“Promise?” Catra asked hoarsely.

Adora nodded once, then twice, then over and over. “I promise.”

Six years was a long, long time to wait, and Catra didn’t want to waste any more time. She leaned up, tightening her grip on Adora’s waist, and kissed her. 

The second their lips met again, it felt like heaven.

Romantic movies had it wrong, Catra thought. Kissing the love of your life didn’t feel like fireworks, it didn’t feel like an explosion. 

It felt like coming home.

Adora let out a sigh against her. One of the hands on Catra’s cheek moved to card through her hair, and as Adora’s nails brushed lightly against her scalp Catra couldn’t help but melt into the kiss completely. 

When they finally broke apart, Adora rested her forehead gently on Catra’s. They were both quiet for a moment, breathing heavy as they attempted to catch their breath, until Adora let out a breathy laugh. “You’re still really, really good at that.”

Despite herself, Catra smiled. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

“So, what—” Adora cleared her throat. “What do we do now?”

“Your flight leaves tomorrow morning,” Catra said, feeling a pang in her chest at the thought.

“It does.”

“So we have until tomorrow morning.”

Adora opened her eyes, leaning back a bit to look at Catra’s face. “Are you sure?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I dunno, just—” Adora shrugged. “I don’t want to push you. Whatever pace you want to go, I’ll match it.”

Catra couldn’t help but smile even wider. “Thanks.” She leaned to the side, looking past Adora into the apartment behind her. “Your place looks pretty empty,” She said, eyes flicking up to meet Adora’s again. “Why don’t you come to mine?”

Adora blinked. “What, like—” She blinked again, then twice more. “As—as a friend? Or—”

“Are you serious?”

“I don’t want to assume—” Adora cut herself off as Catra rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Give me a few minutes to pack a bag, okay?” She linked their hands together, squeezing Catra’s for a moment before she turned to leave. 

Catra stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. “One more thing.”

“What?”

Catra moved her hand down until it rested near the crook of Adora’s elbow. “Kiss me again.”

With a slow, soft smile, Adora did. She took another step toward Catra, resting a hand on the side of her face, before leaning down slowly to kiss her. It was chaste and sweet, barely more than a peck, but Catra wanted more. 

One kiss turned into four, which turned into eight. Neither of them knew how much time had passed by the time Catra finally pulled away, resting her forehead on Adora’s chest, but it was enough to leave them breathless all over again. 

“Okay,” Catra said, panting a little. “ _Now_ you can go pack a bag.”

*** * ***

Adora should’ve known she would cry when she saw Melog again. 

She was in the middle of a conversation with Catra, throwing some banter back at her the way they used to, when the door cracked open and she heard a pleasant _mrrp?_ from the floor. 

Her words died in her throat. 

She wanted to say he looked the same as he had when she left, but it wouldn’t have been true.

Melog’s fur was rich, wavy, and shone in the light of the kitchen. His tail swished gently and elegantly on the floor. He was definitely more plump, too, but that wasn’t it.

He looked happier. 

Adora stopped in her tracks when she saw him again, and the air rushed out of her. “Hey, Melog,” She said quietly. Idly, she remembered the last time she’d seen him, and pushed the memory from her mind as best as she could. 

“Why’d you stop—” Catra’s eyes widened as she realized what Adora was looking at. “Oh.”

Adora set her bag gently on the floor next to her and took a slow, careful step forward. She wasn’t sure he knew who she was anymore. As painful as that was, she didn’t want to scare him off.

At first, he didn’t. There was no recognition in his eyes. 

Then, when Adora held out a trembling hand for him to sniff, she watched him remember her.

He paused a little, looking up at her for a moment before rubbing his head against her hand insistently. As Adora froze, eyes welling with tears, Melog let out a _mrow_ that brought her back to the present. 

“Hi, buddy,” Adora said quietly, laughing a little as she brought up her other hand to pet him. 

Leaning against the counter, Catra watched them with a fond look on her face. “I told you he missed you. He still gets mad when I sleep on your side of the bed, you know.”

Adora looked over at her. “Really?”

Catra smiled, nodding. “He was inconsolable when we first—” She stopped, swallowing, and Adora dropped her eyes down. “Um. He—he used to sit by the door and wait for you.”

Adora’s heart twinged for a moment at the thought, and she had to fight to keep from tearing up again. She paused where she was petting Melog, much to his displeasure. 

“I’m sorry I put you through that,” She said quietly. “Both of you, but—” Adora shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

“I know,” Catra said simply. “I forgive you.” After a moment of watching Adora scratch gently at Melog’s chin, she said, “I took the rest of the day off of work, so if there’s anywhere you want to go or anything you want to do…” She trailed off, shrugging. “I’m open.”

Adora gave Melog one final scratch before she got to her feet and walked over to Catra. She reached out a hand almost timidly, as if she was still surprised that Catra would take it, and brought it to her lips to kiss the knuckles there.

“As long as I’m with you, I’m happy,” Adora murmured, leaning down to kiss her. “Um. I hear there’s a new season of Bake Off out, if you’re still into that.”

The familiarity of it made Catra smile. “Just like old times.”

And it was. 

Hours ticked by almost at will as they sat cuddled up under a blanket Adora could still smell her cologne on. It didn’t take long for Catra to find herself tucked neatly and warmly into Adora’s side, nor did it take Adora long to bury her face in the top of Catra’s head. 

Catra had never thought of herself — or of romance in general — as finding her other half and finally becoming a whole person. She valued herself too much for that. 

But sitting with Adora, making jokes and comments and small, deafening declarations of love, she saw the appeal. Finding her other half wasn’t the right word, though. Neither was finding a missing puzzle piece.

It was more like rediscovering an old, well-loved book and going back to read it from the beginning. 

By the time the sun dipped down below the horizon, with the sounds of the city making a low hum outside the walls of Catra’s apartment, they had both changed out of their work clothes. 

For Adora, that had meant a binder, too. That was new.

Catra hadn’t expected to see it when she unbuttoned Adora’s shirt, but there it was. It was a half tank that was a relatively decent match to Adora’s skin tone, which meant it wasn’t just one of Bow’s old ones. 

“Is that…”

“Oh,” Adora said, looking down. “Yeah. I-I started wearing them a few years back.”

Catra nodded. “Okay.”

“I like it.”

“Okay.”

Adora shifted from side to side. “It makes me feel more like myself.”

“Okay,” Catra repeated, giving her a smile. “I’m glad, then.”

“Yeah,” Adora said, nodding stiffly. “Um. After Bow got top surgery, I-I asked if he had any spares, and then I figured I should probably get my own, so…”

Catra nodded, taking Adora’s hand in hers. “I’m happy for you,” She said, raising her eyebrows. “You don’t have to feel weird about it. I know you’ve always had kind of a weird relationship with your gender and presentation, and if you want me to—to change the pronouns or the name I use for you, I’m more than happy to do that.”

Adora blinked once, then twice. Her voice came out hoarse. “Thank you. I— honestly, I haven’t really let myself think about it, but I’ll let you know.”

“Alright. You don’t have to thank me,” Catra said. “It’s pretty basic stuff.” She nodded to the binder. “How long have you been wearing that?”

“Oh, not long. Six hours?”

“Six hours isn’t long?” Catra asked, raising an eyebrow. “Isn’t the max supposed to be, like, eight?”

Adora raised a hand to scratch the back of her head. “Technically, yes.”

Catra raised an eyebrow. “Take it off.”

Adora had obeyed, of course. Now, her hand rested on Catra’s stomach, just under the hem of an old hoodie. Catra had her head on Adora’s chest, listening to her muffled heartbeat thudding strong and steady in her chest. 

Melog had, of course, squeezed himself between them, and was purring softly in his sleep.

They didn’t make it through the whole season of Bake Off — not even they had the energy to watch a full ten-episode run — but by the time Adora looked at her phone for the first time in almost seven hours, she realized what time it was. 

“Oh, damn,” She breathed. “It’s almost 8pm.” Adora looked down at Catra, running her fingers gently through her hair. “Do you want to order dinner?”

Catra yawned a little, nuzzling deeper into Adora’s chest. “Sounds like a good plan. What’re you in the mood for?”

Adora thought for a moment. “I haven’t had Thai in a while, but if you wanted to order some I wouldn’t say no.”

Catra’s smile flickered a little, and she leaned back to look at Adora properly, stretching as she did. “Wait, really? I thought you loved it. How long has it been?”

“Um,” Adora looked up as she thought. “Three years, three weeks, and four days.”

“How do you remember the exact—” Catra’s eyes widened as stray dots from the weeks before connected in her head. _Late October. Three-year chip. Birthday._ “Oh.”

Adora brought up a hand to scratch at the back of her neck. “It—it was the night before I checked into rehab.”

“Which also happened to be—”

“The night of your 25th birthday,” Adora said quietly. She didn’t meet Catra’s eyes. “Yeah.”

Catra felt a pang of grief in her chest. “Do you want to talk about what happened?” She asked, watching Adora’s jaw tighten. 

Adora turned to watch Melog shifting between them. He brought a paw up to lick clean. “There’s not much to talk about. Um.” She paused for a moment, finding the words. “I mean, it wasn’t anything new. After the breakup, I started drinking more, and that was that. Bow and Glimmer knew,” She said. “So did my secretary.”

“But this was the breaking point?”

Adora nodded. “I-It was a few months after I took over as CEO. We were having a _really_ fucking hard couple of weeks business-wise. I had been craving tom kha gai soup, so I ordered from a local place. I-I didn’t realize what day it was until I got home and looked over my schedule, and then—” She cut off for a second, scratching the back of her head again. “All I could think about was you.”

Adora could feel Catra’s eyes burning into her and did her best to shrug them off. “I don’t remember much after that. Bow and Glimmer found me the next morning, and they checked me into an inpatient facility for a few days while I got it out of my system.”

“What was it like?”

“Oh, it was great,” Adora deadpanned. “I mean, between the detox treatment and the group therapy sessions, it was really just—just wonderful.”

Catra let out an involuntary laugh, then put a hand over her mouth. “Sorry. That was a stupid question.”

“Don’t be,” Adora said. “It wasn’t your fault, and trust me, I’ve heard worse.”

“Still,” Catra said. “I’m sorry that happened.”

Adora nodded. “I am, too.” After a moment, she let out a sigh. “What are we doing, Catra?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m leaving for the other side of the country in—” She checked her watch. “Ten hours. But—”

“I know,” Catra said, cutting her off. “And I know it’s been years, and that I can’t ask you to give up your career or your life for me, and—”

“You didn’t let me finish. I was going to say...” Adora trailed off, finding the words. After a moment, she looked up, meeting Catra’s eyes with a tentative sigh. “I was going to say that if you asked me to, I would stay.”

Catra blinked. “Why would you do that?”

“Because I’m done leaving you,” Adora said. “Because I want to make sure you know I’m not going to do it again.”

Catra remembered six straight years of pain, of grief, and of loss. She didn’t want it to happen again, either. She wouldn’t let it happen again. 

Being with Adora was all she had wanted for ten years. No one could deny that. But there was still the fact that actually _doing_ it was a terrifying prospect, and she still had scars left over from the last time. It would be hard to grow out of them, and it would be harder to move on.

But then again, she thought, looking at the soft, impossibly loving look on Adora’s face, she wouldn’t be alone this time.

“I don’t want you to leave.” The words came out gentle, and echoed in the apartment. “Can you—” Catra swallowed. Being vulnerable had always been difficult for her. “Can you stay? Just this once?”

“Of course I can.” Adora held out a hand. When Catra took it, she lifted it up to kiss the knuckles. “I just have to tell—” She froze suddenly, lips still pressed against Catra’s hand. It passed a moment later, but Catra knew she hadn’t imagined it. 

“Who do you have to tell?”

Adora’s eyes flicked down. “The Board of Directors.”

That’s when Catra understood. 

_The Board_ meant the same thing now that _The Company_ had meant in college: Richard Grayskull.

“Is your dad—”

Adora nodded. “I offered him an honorary position there when I took over as CEO.”

Just for a moment, Catra felt the joy she’d built up start to crack. Adora had always had trouble standing up to her father, especially when it came to her own wishes. 

She knew that Adora had changed — they both had — and that they were going to fight harder this time, but still. It wasn’t fair. 

It wasn’t fair that even now, six years later, Adora was still going to have trouble choosing her. 

The space between the seconds seemed to lengthen, giving her more time in her head. 

The worst case scenario played in her head on loop. Adora would come back beaten-down and grieving, and tell Catra sorrowfully that there was no getting out of it, and that they couldn’t be together. There, all Catra could do would be to watch her go. 

The worst thing was that it wasn’t completely unrealistic. If that was going to be their future, she should start preparing for it now.

But in the present, Adora cleared her throat. “Can—can you please say something? You know it scares me when you get all quiet.”

“Oh,” Catra said, swallowing down the anxiety. “Right. Um. What—what do you think they’re going to say?”

Adora shrugged. “Probably that I’m being selfish and putting myself before the company.”

“And what are you going to say back?”

“That I’ve spent my life putting them first,” Adora replied, looking back at her. “I haven’t willingly taken a vacation day in six years. I tripled our quarterly earnings, I restructured our entire business model, and I made top-down changes that I let them take credit for.”

“What about your dad?” Catra asked quietly. That was the real question, after all.

Adora’s jaw clenched. “I’m done letting him control me,” She said tightly, looking at her feet for a moment. She took in a deep inhale, trying to clear her mind. “What do you think I should do?”

“You’re asking me?”

“Of course I am. You’re the smartest person I know.”

Catra blinked, trying and failing to fight off a soft, flattered smile. “Oh.”

“It’s true,” Adora said, returning it. “I was thinking I should call our CFO and ask her to do it instead.”

Catra nodded. “That sounds like a good plan. When are you going to tell the Board?”

Adora thought for a moment, then checked her calendar. “They have their quarterly meeting tomorrow at 11.”

“Is that a good idea?” Catra asked, searching her face. “That’s—that’s soon.”

“It is.” Adora reached out to hold her hand. “But that doesn’t matter to me. You’re what I want,” She admitted softly. “You always have been. I don’t want to wait any longer.”

Catra was watching her with a soft, half-unreadable expression. “What?” Adora asked, letting out a nervous laugh.

“You’ve changed,” Catra said, smiling. “In—in a good way. The Adora I knew in college would have been terrified.”

“Who says I’m not?”

“Point,” Catra nodded. “But… I dunno. It’s nice to see that you’re willing to do it anyway.”

“That’s not all I’m willing to _do_ ,” Adora said, giving her an exaggerated wink. 

When the innuendo landed, Catra couldn’t help but laugh. She leaned in to meet her lips again. “Way to deflect, loser,” She said in between kisses.

“Who’s deflecting?” Adora said, grinning. “I’m propositioning you.”

“What, right here on the couch?” Try as she might to stop it, Catra’s voice took on a decidedly-less innocent tone with the question.

Adora raised an eyebrow, noticing the change. “I’m more than happy to do it here. We have all night, remember?”

An old, familiar rush of heat began to pool in Catra’s stomach. “Don’t get cocky. It’s been a while, babe. You sure you still remember how?”

“Please,” Adora scoffed, eyes flicking down to Catra’s lips. “I remember it like it was yesterday. Plus, I have more than half a decade more experience.”

Catra tried to ignore the prospect of Adora having sex with people that _weren’t_ her, and half-succeeded. She squeezed her bicep as Adora leaned down to kiss at her neck, letting her eyes fall closed. “Someone’s eager.”

“It’s been six years since the last time I ate you out,” Adora said bluntly. “Can you blame me?”

Catra let out a breathy laugh as Adora punctuated the question with a harsh bite to her neck. “No,” She said. “Why don’t you show me what you’ve learned?”

Adora did.

As expected, Catra woke up sore, naked, and completely content in her arms the next morning.

Adora was already awake — not by much, though, if the bleary set to her eyes was anything to go by — and gave her a sleepy smile. “Hey,” She said softly. 

The rasp of her morning voice made Catra smile. “Hey yourself,” She said back, snuggling into Adora. “It’s cold in here. Did you mess with the thermostat?”

“You know I can’t sleep if it’s too warm,” Adora said, yawning. “What time is it?”

Catra looked over at the clock on her bedside table. “Almost nine.”

“Almost—” Adora sighed. “Shit. I have to call Netossa.”

“You should probably send her a gift basket, too,” Catra said, closing her eyes. “For her trouble, y’know?”

“That’s a great idea.” Adora turned to her, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips before giving her a smile. “You’re so smart.” She rolled over, moving to stand, and felt a tug at her wrist.

“Don’t get up yet,” Catra whined. “It’s so cold without you.”

Adora’s smile widened. “You’re such a baby in the morning. I’ll be right back, okay? Just have to find my phone.”

“Call her later,” Catra said, pulling her back with little resistance. “Stay in bed with me. We still have another two hours before the meeting.”

Adora had never been able to deny her anything, and didn’t plan to start now. 

But when their sleepy morning came to a close, the feeling of calm was slowly overtaken by a quiet undertone of tension.

The ride back to the Grayskull building was more subdued than it should’ve been, but Catra figured that was to be expected. Having Adora’s hand clutching hers made it more bearable. 

True to her word, Adora spent a few minutes before the drive on the phone with Netossa. She ordered the gift basket the moment she got off the phone.

She looked significantly more relieved when she stepped into the driver’s side. “Hey. Did it go okay?” Catra asked, buckling her seatbelt. “You don’t look like you’re going to shit yourself anymore.”

Adora rolled her eyes. “Yes, it went well. She said she’s going to take her wife and make a little vacation out of it.”

“And you got the link I sent you?” Catra asked. “To the gift basket, I mean?”

“I did,” Adora said, giving her a small smile as she turned on the car. “And let me just say, your taste is _excellent_. They’re going to love it.”

They left Catra’s parking garage shortly after, and when they stopped at the next red light, Adora looked over at her and gave her a small, fleeting smile. 

She was still terrified, then. Catra didn’t know if it was the nerves or their past that made Adora’s hand tremble, but it was shaking in hers.

“Hey,” She said softly. “Look at me.”

Adora did, though she kept her eyes flicking back at the light. Catra put a hand on her cheek and leaned in to give her a soft, gentle kiss. “It’s gonna be okay.”

Adora nodded, swallowing. She kissed Catra again before the light changed, then once more for good measure. “You think so?”

“You’re the best CEO the company has ever had, and your dad isn’t the only person on the Board,” Catra said. “So, yes. I do think so. Plus, I’m sure Netossa will be more than a worthy substitute to play the boss for a few months.”

Adora let out a chuckle. “You’re probably right.”

“I’m _always_ right,” Catra corrected. She turned Adora’s hand in hers, running her fingers gently along the lines in her palm. “We’re going to be okay, Adora. I promise. You want me to distract you?”

That seemed to be the magic phrase, because Adora let out a shaky exhale and shifted her grip on the steering wheel. “Yeah. Okay. I-I’m sorry I’m so nervous.”

“Well, _I’m_ sorry I’m making you give up a trip to San Francisco,” Catra replied, trying to find something else to talk about. “I hear it’s really nice this time of year.”

Adora shook her head. “Whoever told you that was a liar,” She said, clearly trying to take her mind off the tension in her body. “It won’t be nice again until January or February. That’s when the hills get green.” She paused for a second, looking over at Catra. “It’s going to be okay, right?”

“Yes,” Catra said, without hesitation. “You’re gonna walk in there and tell the Board who’s boss. You’re _really_ fucking good at your job, Adora. They can’t afford to lose you.”

Adora looked over at her again with a small, amazed smile. “You think I’m good at my job?”

Catra rolled her eyes and pointed to the road. “Focus. Yes, I do. Anyone with eyes knows you’re the best CEO Grayskull has ever had.”

Adora smiled to herself. The color seemed to return to her face. That was good, Catra thought. Getting her out of her own head meant there was a higher probability that this went well. “You like me,” Adora said smugly. 

As hard as she tried to roll her eyes, Catra couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, you big idiot, I like you.” She smiled. “I like you a lot, in fact.”

“What do you like about me?” Adora asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I like your smile,” Catra said. “I like your new hair. I-I don’t think I ever told you, but it looks really, really good.” She paused, thinking for a moment. 

“I like how much you care about your company and its impact.” At Adora’s quizzical look, she shrugged. “Most CEOs don’t take time out of their day to actually think about how restructured healthcare benefits can help their employees, and you’re the only high-ranking business executive I know that’s working to increase tech accessibility for the people in your city.”

Adora had a small, awed smile on her face. “Thank you,” She said, so genuine it made Catra’s heart flutter. “That— it always means more coming from you.”

“Well, get used to hearing it, because it’s true,” Catra said. 

They settled into a companionable silence until Adora pulled into a spot at the front of her company’s building. She tried very hard to control her breathing as she put the car in park, using a technique she’d learned back in therapy. 

_In for four_ , she thought, turning off the ignition, _hold for four, out for four._

“Hey.” Catra put a hand on her wrist. “You don’t have to do this if it’s gonna fuck up your career.”

“My career will be fine,” Adora said. “Trust me. I’m not worried about that.” She paused for a moment, fiddling with the ring around her neck, before she asked, “What’s— how do you feel about all of this?”

“How do I feel?” Catra repeated. At Adora’s earnest nod, she thought for a moment. “I mean, it’s scary,” She said, shrugging. “Your dad has always kinda freaked me out.”

“That makes two of us.”

Catra smiled, but it flickered as she continued. “I appreciate that you’re doing this for me, Adora, but…” She let out a sigh. “I need to know that it’s because you _want_ to and not because you feel like you have to.”

“I _do_ want to do it,” Adora said firmly. She met Catra’s eyes with an unwavering set to her face. “All I’ve wanted for years was to be with you again, Catra. I’m sick of waiting and putting myself last, and I’m _sick_ of living without you there.” She held out a hand. “I’m all in.”

Any doubt that lingered in Catra’s mind vanished as she linked her fingers with Adora’s.

If the car ride was quiet, the elevator ride up was quieter. Catra thought she could’ve heard a pin drop in the silence. Adora’s hand was heavy in hers, the feeling both familiar and unfamiliar after so much time. 

Catra rubbed her thumb over the knuckles to try and remind Adora she wasn’t alone, which earned her a small, sweet smile.

The doors slid open smoothly when they arrived at the top floor. 

Adora took a deep breath before she turned to Catra. “Okay. This is us,” She said, leading them out of the elevator into the lobby.

A quick check-in with the attendant behind the smooth desk in the back center of the room told them that the Board meeting was happening a few doors down, in room 513. 

Adora thanked them with a stiff smile and took a deep breath as she led them down the hallway. It was a short hallway, all things considered, but that was only because of the size of the rooms. Catra wondered dimly if all of Grayskull’s conference rooms were this big.

Adora’s intake of breath made Catra look up again. There, at the very end of the hall, sat room 513.

“Look at me,” Catra murmured, cupping Adora’s face. “You’re going to be okay.”

“I know,” Adora said quietly. “That’s not what I’m worried about.”

“Then what—” Catra blinked, remembering dully the threat Richard had made last time. “Oh. Right.”

“Yeah.”

Catra nodded, sucking in a deep breath. “Well, times have changed. He doesn’t have the money and the influence he used to, and we’re not powerless college students anymore.” Adora nodded at her words, but closed her eyes. Her voice came out shaky and barely audible. “What if he goes through with it this time?”

“Then we figure it out together,” Catra said without hesitation. “Okay?”

Adora let out a ragged exhale, trying to keep her breathing steady. “Okay.”

Catra nodded. “Alright. Now pull it together, Grayskull.”

Adora took another deep, calming breath before she pushed the sleek, metallic door open. Past the door and the walls around it sat a large, open room. 

A man in a neatly-tailored suit stood in front of a TV along the back wall, currently displaying the company’s projected quarterly earnings. Adora gathered by the confused looks on the faces of him and the other 12 people in the room that they were interrupting something.

“Ms. Grayskull,” said one of them, blinking rapidly. He was an older, greying man with a tie that looked like it was choking him. “I-I didn’t think our joint meeting was for another week.”

“Yeah, that’s—that’s right, George,” She said, clearing her throat. “Um. I hate to barge in like this, but I’m afraid it’s urgent.”

Her eyes were locked on Richard, who sat near the middle of the far side of the table. “Well, don’t leave us hanging. By all means. I’m sure we’d all love to hear the reason for this little interruption.”

Adora’s jaw tightened for a flash. “I’m not going to San Francisco. I’ve spoken with Netossa, and she’s agreed to go instead.”

“Well, _Netossa_ isn’t the CEO,” Richard said, eyes flashing in anger. “And you didn’t clear it with us first. Why?”

The man who had spoken earlier — George, Catra remembered — piped up again. “Netossa _is_ our CFO, Richard. Surely it wouldn’t be the end of the world if there was a _small_ personnel change.”

Richard looked between Adora and Catra, barely hearing him. When his eyes landed on Catra again, she realized with a dawning, biting sense of fear that he recognized her this time. 

His eyes narrowed like he’d just won some long-fought game of chess. “Not so fast. Why don’t you ask my daughter to explain exactly _why_ she’s making this choice, George?” He let out a humorless chuckle, getting to his feet, and pointed a finger at Catra. “Because if she doesn’t, I will.”

“Dad, don’t,” Adora said. To her credit, her voice only trembled a little. “That’s not—”

“What?” Richard interrupted. “That’s not appropriate? It’s not my business?” He shook his head as barely-concealed rage emanated off of him in waves. “You are the _heir_ to this company, Adora. You don’t get to decide what I—”

“I’m a fucking _adult_ , dad,” Adora snapped. “Sit down.” 

For a moment, Richard looked stunned into silence, but it didn’t last. “How _dare_ you—”

But Adora had spent too long worrying about her father’s opinion. She had spent too long making herself palatable. Rage had been building up in her since she was barely old enough to know what it was.

She figured now was as good a time as any to let it out.

“You want to tell the rest of your buddies here why I’m not married yet? You want to tell them why I almost drank myself to death within three years of graduation?” Adora interrupted, voice eerily calm and steadier than a surgeon’s hand. 

Catra couldn’t help but look over in surprise. The tremor of fear in her voice had vanished, and was replaced with a simmering anger. 

Adora’s eyes narrowed. “Because if you don’t, I will.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

This time, it was Adora’s turn to put on a threatening, satisfied expression. It was more of a snarl than a smile. 

“I’m talking about the use of company funds to investigate confidentialpersonal, educational, and criminal records of over a dozen private citizens,” She said in a low, steely voice. “One of whom was one of your employees.”

At that, Richard stiffened. “You can’t prove that.”

“Maybe not personally,” Adora replied, cold as ice. “But if you want to play that game, I’m _more_ than happy to get the FBI down here to check.” She could hear the anger in her voice ring loud and clear even in the size of the room.

Richard’s face twisted in rage. “You little _bitch_ —”

“Don’t you dare fucking talk to me like that.” Adora’s jaw was clenched tight enough to hurt her, but her voice came out deadly calm. “I hate to break it to you, _Richard_ , but you’re only here because of me. I’m the one who suggested this, remember?” 

Adora nodded to the rest of the men around the room. “If I asked them to, I bet your friends wouldn’t hesitate to vote you out.”

“You’ll—you’ll be removed as CEO for this.” Richard’s voice came out strained and thin, like cold butter scraped over too much bread. “George, tell her.”

“No,” Adora said simply, shaking her head. “I wouldn’t. I’ve done more as CEO in the last four years than you did in forty, Richard. I’m not going anywhere.”

True as the statement was, this line of thinking wouldn’t end well for any of them. The goal wasn’t for Adora to risk her career, after all. Catra put a gentle, steadying hand on her arm to help ground her. 

Adora felt herself deflate a little at the touch. She looked over at Catra for a moment before turning back to the Board. “I’m not going to San Francisco,” She repeated, though her voice lost its edge. “In fact, I’m taking the next two weeks off.”

George, like the rest of the Board members, looked as though this was the last place in the world he wanted to be. He nodded profusely. “Yes, well, I’m sure that can be arranged.”

“Good,” Adora said, giving them a nod. “Then my time off starts now.”

Without another word, she grabbed Catra’s hand, turned around, and dragged them both out of the room. 

When the door closed behind them, Catra felt a strange sense of lightness spreading through her. “Holy shit,” She said, blinking. “You just threatened your dad, like, hardcore.”

“In front of all my bosses,” Adora said, staring somewhere in the distance. “Yeah.”

Catra squeezed her hand gently. “Look at me.” Adora did. “I’m really proud of you.” 

“You don’t have to say that. It’s the same thing I should’ve done six years ago.”

“Yeah, but now you have a hell of a lot more to lose.”

Adora shook her head. “Losing you was the worst thing that ever happened to me. No job is worth that.” She looked down at their joint hands. “I-I know that this is a lot to process, so if you need me to leave you alone for a little, I—”

“Why would I want that?” Catra asked, completely genuinely.

Adora shrugged. “It’s been a long couple of days.”

“It has,” Catra agreed, “but that doesn’t mean I want it to end.” She reached her other hand to stroke the line of Adora’s cheek with her thumb. “And you still don’t have anywhere to stay tonight.”

Adora smiled, leaning into the touch. “Is that a proposition, Ms. Horde?”

“Yes, Ms. Grayskull,” Catra said. She couldn’t contain her smile. “It is.”

*** * ***

_SIX MONTHS LATER._

The seasons changed slower, and more calmly than they had in years, but Glimmer knew it was all an act. 

Wedding planning was harder than she had expected it to be. 

Some of it, she expected: the cake tasting, the endless accommodations and moving parts that had to be accounted for, even the stress of sending out 200 invitations as soon as she could. 

Other parts were… _less_ easy to expect. 

There was the venue, for one. 

Being out in California, she wasn’t really sure of the kind of weather they’d get in the late spring (it could be rain, fire, or perfect for all she knew), so they played it safe and went for the end of April. 

It ended up being a very, very good choice.

They settled on a winery in Napa Valley. Bow was able to get them a good deal on it, but when the weather reports showed a major storm coming through, it was Glimmer that negotiated them inside rather than purely out. 

Then there were the flowers, the colors, the bridesmaids’ dresses and groomsmen’s ties, and the aesthetic part of planning, and the style choices for Bow and Glimmer themselves.

There were a few unique challenges there, too. Micah’s family was Korean-American, Angella’s was Indian, and all of them were varying degrees of American. Glimmer spent hours with Bow trying to figure out what to include, what to leave out, and what to incorporate partially. 

In the end — with the help and vigorous consultation of her parents — Glimmer settled on a white dress and _mehndi_ for the ceremony itself. She knew Angella would want her to preserve at least some aspects of a Hindi wedding, and she respected that. 

Micah, though, had been raised by second-generation Korean-Americans. He had raised her to appreciate and love that side of her, but even _he_ hadn’t known as much as he’d hoped about the specifics of the traditions. 

When she asked, he reminded her with a kind smile that he would be happy with whatever she decided. _I wore a tux to my wedding,_ Micah had said. _So if you decide on a dress instead of a_ saree _or a_ hanbok _, I’m not going to say a word about it._

Then there was decor. 

Glimmer had never really given a shit about decorations, if she was being honest. Neither had Angella. The only person in the family with a true eye for it was Micah (and, to a more extreme extent, his sister Castaspella). 

So when the issue of conflicting color swab — or whatever the fuck the stylist had told her — came up, Glimmer knew instantly who to call.

It took Micah less than two hours to come up with a theme and a color palette, and less than four to have it translated concretely into ideas for Bow’s suit and Glimmer’s bouquet. 

One of the biggest shocks, of course, was that Catra and Adora now only needed _one_ invite, and not two separate ones. 

With that said, it hadn’t come as a major surprise to hear that they were going to try things again. They had never been subtle with each other, and Glimmer knew it was only going to be a matter of time before they talked. 

It _had_ surprised her to hear that Adora had threatened her own father publicly and clearly. That was new.

It was a nice surprise, of course. Adora had actively started working less, eating better, and taking more time for herself and Catra.

She smiled more, too. Her laugh lines had faded in the years between now and graduation, but here they were again in full force. 

She was happy. Catra was too. 

According to Adora, they had tried to start slow at first (fearing a repeat of the first time), and spent only their weekends together. 

To no one’s surprise, that arrangement didn’t last long. 

They hadn’t moved in together yet, but from what Glimmer heard they spent almost every night cooking, talking, or, ahem, _otherwise_ engaged _._ On the nights one of them worked late, the other would come by with food and sit with them. It was an easy system, and since it seemed to be working, Glimmer didn’t see any issues with it.

Really, truly, and honestly, Glimmer was happy for them. 

It had been so long since they’d been at peace, and seeing it again reminded her of their college days in the best way possible.

Her _own_ peace, though, was still a few steps away. 

When the day of the wedding finally came around, Glimmer thought she was going to throw up from nerves.

It wasn’t that she was having second thoughts, or that she didn’t want to go through with it after all. She’d known she was going to marry Bow since age 19. That wasn’t an issue.

Seeing everything finally come together, though? Worrying about the catering and the weather and traffic and whether or not everyone would actually make it to the venue in time?

 _That_ was the issue.

Everywhere she went — from the kitchen of their AirBnB, where Micah and Angella were making breakfast, to the bathroom she was sharing with Frosta — someone wanted something from her. Overwhelming wasn’t a strong enough word to describe the experience.

Luckily for her, Bow knew how stressed Glimmer got when things like this happened. 

He knew he wasn’t technically allowed to see the bride before the wedding, but he figured he could bend the rules a little here. 

Glimmer looked up from doing her makeup as the door to her room clicked softly shut behind her. “Bow?” She asked, frowning in confusion. “What are you doing in here? Is everything okay?” Her eyes widened. “Is it the catering company? I swear to _fucking_ God, if they forgot the soup again—”

“It’s not the catering company,” Bow soothed, walking over. “Just me.”

“Oh.” Glimmer blinked. “So nothing’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” He gave her a soft smile. “My dads just texted me saying they’re here and ready to help out if we need anything. Should I have them get the bouquets from the florist later? Perfuma put me in contact with someone in St. Helena.”

Glimmer nodded stiffly, taking a breath. “Yeah. That would be great. That’ll give me more time to—”

“—check on the photographer,” Bow finished. “I was thinking the same thing.”

For the first time all day, Glimmer smiled. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Doing this with me.” Glimmer shrugged. “It’s— I dunno. It’s been hard to concentrate on it sometimes, because—” She closed her eyes. “I just keep thinking about my mom. She started crying when she was doing my _mehndi_ last night because of how proud and happy she was.”

Bow felt his heart begin to break. “Of course she’s proud of you,” He said, tracing the dark, intricate lines that covered the back of her hand. “We’re all proud of you.”

“I just can’t stop thinking about losing her,” She said, barely above a whisper. “And I-I _hate_ thinking about it, but—”

“She’s right here.” Bow put a hand on her arm and pulled her in for a hug. He was careful to avoid the makeup on her face when he kissed her forehead. “She’s right in the kitchen, and she’s the happiest I’ve ever seen her.”

“I know,” Glimmer sighed. She closed her eyes. “It just keeps popping up in the back of my head.”

Bow nodded. “I can understand that. But today is about you, and about us. She’s not going anywhere. Alright?” 

“It’s also about that _stupid_ fucking soup,” Glimmer muttered, feeling Bow laugh against her. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Bow said without hesitating. “It’s gonna be a long day. Do you need anything?”

“I could ask you the same thing.” Glimmer pulled away a little, frowning in concern. “How do you feel right now? I just wanna check in. I know big events like this stress you out, too.”

“Yeah. Um, honestly? I’m a little terrified,” Bow said. “Not in, like, an _I-don’t-want-to-do-this_ kind of way, though. Just nerves.”

“Oh, trust me, I’m with you,” Glimmer said, nodding. “I mean, we have to kiss in front of all of our family and friends, dude. That sucks.”

Bow felt a grin widen on his face. “Can I kiss you in private first?”

“Right now?”

“Yeah.”

Despite the worry and the tension knotting in her stomach, Glimmer smiled. “Of course you can. C’mere.” She leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to his lips, smiling against him. 

“Are you feeling any better?” Bow asked against her, letting his hands settle on her waist.

“I am now,” Glimmer nodded. “Thank you.”

Bow smiled sweetly at her. “Anything for my wife.”

She rolled her eyes. “Technically, you can’t say that until later today.” Her eyes landed on the clock in the corner of the room, and she let out a sigh. “Shit. Okay, I have to kick you out. I’m getting my hair done with Catra and Frosta in fifteen minutes, and if I’m late again my hairdresser is going to kill me.”

“Understood,” Bow said. “I have to meet Adora, anyway. We’re going for a little pre-wedding run in the hills.”

Glimmer wrinkled her nose. “Gross. Make sure she has her tie, and don’t get bitten by any snakes,” She said, giving him a peck. “Now get out of here.”

Throughout the course of her life, Glimmer had found that there were times when every single possible thing went wrong. The sky opened up with rain, people were late for no reason, caterers forgot half of their inventory, and friends and family were nowhere to be found for any of it. 

This was not one of those times.

The sky was a beautiful, perfect shade of blue, and the hot, dry weather that had hit them the week before was replaced by a pleasant breeze that persisted for the entire length of the afternoon. 

Everyone was either on time or early, which was almost unheard of. The caterers managed to bring everything in one round, and Glimmer was delighted to find out that the food was, in fact, _delicious_. 

Catra and Adora, filling their respective roles as maid of honor and best man, were there an hour before everyone else to help set up. Catra was a natural when it came to getting people where they needed to be, and Adora had planned their seating diagram months ago. 

Plus, they had the rings. 

Adora handed them carefully to Bow when the two of them arrived, and Glimmer felt the instant relief of being able to check another thing off her list. “Here you go,” She said, giving them a grin. “Anything else I can do to help you guys out?”

The one person who _failed_ to show up was their usher, as Glimmer told her over a pre-wedding shot of vodka. “Catra and I will do it,” Adora said easily. “Not a problem. I made laminated copies of the seating chart to refer to, so it shouldn’t be—”

At the feeling of a hand on her shoulder, Adora looked up to see Catra. “Speak of the devil,” She said with a grin. “We get to be ushers today, babe.”

Catra raised an eyebrow as she nodded. “So we say hi to people and tell them to sit down. That doesn’t sound too bad.”

“You guys are the best,” Glimmer said. “Thank you.”

“It’s your big day,” Catra responded, giving Adora a smile before turning back to Glimmer. “We live to serve.”

Sure enough, it went off without a hitch. Everyone was in their seats and chatting idly by the time the ceremony was set to begin. 

But by the time Catra and Adora took their positions on either side of the flowered arch that Micah had commissioned just for the wedding, Bow looked like he was about to throw up. 

“Hey,” Adora whispered, nudging him a little. “What’s up?”

“Just nervous,” Bow said tightly. “I was able to keep it together all day, but now—” He sighed. “I mean, what if she leaves me at the altar?”

“You’re kidding me, right?” Adora blinked. “Bow, she’s not going to leave you at the altar. Glimmer’s been talking about this nonstop for _months_ now.”

“I know, but—”

“Focus up,” Adora interrupted. “Listen. I’m your best man and your best friend, right?” At Bow’s nod, she continued, “So I’m not about to lie to you.”

“That’s true,” Bow admitted.

“She loves you, Bow.” Adora raised her eyebrows, trying to make sure the message landed. “And in, like, two minutes, she’s gonna walk down this aisle and tell everyone else in this room that she’s gonna be with you forever.”

“You think so?”

As if on cue, the music started playing, and rows of people got to their feet. Adora gave him a smile. “I know so.”

Bow took in a deep breath. “It’s your turn next, you know.”

Adora looked across the way to where Catra stood, looking more beautiful than ever before. The light of the late afternoon hit her just right, and when Catra turned to face her with a half-confused, half-excited expression, Adora just smiled. “Yeah,” She said, giving her a little wave. “I know.”

Then, Adora looked down the aisle and put a hand on his arm. “Here she comes.”

As Bow looked down the aisle at the woman he was going to spend the rest of his life with, he felt all the tension and stress in his body melt away. 

To say she looked stunning wouldn’t have done her justice.

Glimmer, escorted on both sides by Micah and Angella, was absolutely _radiant._

Her hair sparkled with what Bow could only assume was glitter, and in the dress she wore it was hard to tell her apart from an angel. 

The short sleeves of Glimmer’s dress meant that the gorgeous, intricate bridal _mehndi_ Angella and her cousins had done the night before was on full display, and Bow found it hard to draw his eyes away from it. 

To be fair, he’d always found her hard to look away from. 

Glimmer gave both of her parents a long, tight hug before she stepped up to where Bow was waiting for her. 

“Hey,” He said quietly, beaming. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Glimmer said, returning his thousand-watt smile as she turned to face the officiant. “You ready to do this?”

Without a doubt in his mind, Bow nodded. “I thought you’d never ask.”

*** * ***

_SEVEN YEARS LATER._

After three and a half years of dating, six years apart, and _another_ two years of dating, Adora finally proposed.

Catra said yes in half a second, of course. She had been waiting for that day for nearly ten years.

That night, when she asked Adora where and when she got the ring, Adora just smiled. _Let’s just say I’ve been thinking about this for a long, long time._ Even then, over eight years after Adora bought it, the ring fit perfectly.

They were married in the spring surrounded by the people they loved.

The ceremony ended up being larger than they expected. It turns out that, between Adora’s coworkers, Catra’s family, and the swarm of friends they’d accumulated, they racked up a couple hundred people without issue. 

Speaking of Catra’s family, her father was one of the first people Adora wanted to talk to once they got back together. It was their first Christmas together again, only a few months after reuniting.

It was an understatement to say that Angel was less than thrilled to see her, but Adora wasn’t going to let it deter her. 

Adora had started talking as soon as she sat down with him. _I know I have a lot to make up for_ , _and I know that there are some things I’m never going to be forgiven for,_ she’d said. _I’m gonna spend the rest of my life trying._

He wanted to hold it against her a little longer, but it had been a long time since Angel and Camila had seen their daughter as happy as she was bringing Adora home for Christmas. 

Not for the first time, they figured that if she was happy, they were too. 

They both cried before the wedding even started. When Camila pulled Catra in for a warm hug and whispered _I’m so proud of you, mija_ , Catra couldn’t help but get misty-eyed herself. 

Adora sent her parents an invitation out of courtesy, but no one was disappointed to hear that they weren’t going to come. 

Angella came, after all. 

By then, she’d beat her prognosis by six months, and she didn’t plan on giving up anytime soon. Even now, five years later, she called every few days to talk to them. 

In the end, it was a perfect ceremony. 

Bow and Glimmer’s joint best man/maid of honor speech had every guest in the room in tears from laughter, Adora’s suit fit perfectly thanks to her top surgery a year prior, and seeing Catra in her dress for the first time made the entire crowd gasp in wonder.

And when they signed their marriage license later that night, it was with a very familiar Mont Blanc pen. 

Their honeymoon was perfect, too. So was the first house they bought together. 

So was Finn. 

The process of adoption was a pain in the ass, but it was all worth it the second the two of them saw their child, barely older than three, toddling over to meet them.

That had been four years ago. Now, Finn was seven years old and already as mouthy as both of their parents. 

Skipping over diapers had been a win. Waking up at five in the morning every day was, admittedly, less fun, but Finn became an excellent sleeper early on.

Today, the two of them had hoped for a sleepy weekend morning, but an early soccer game meant it wouldn’t be. 

When the first rays of sun woke them up, Adora propped herself up on one elbow to press a kiss to her shoulder blade. “Morning, honey,” She said, clearing the rough edge from her throat. “I’m gonna get up and get the coffee going. Alright?”

Catra made an unhappy sound in her throat, reaching blindly for Adora. Her hands found purchase in the t-shirt Adora slept in, and fisted there. “Stay a minute longer,” She mumbled. “‘M cold.”

Adora smiled at her wife and let herself drop back onto the pillows, opening up her arms to make a space for Catra. “Come here, you big baby.”

Catra smiled, burrowing into her for a moment. “What time’s the game?” She yawned, nuzzling against Adora’s chest. 

“Nine thirty,” Adora said. “Or ten. Definitely one of those two.”

Catra cracked an unimpressed eye open. “And what time is it now?”

Adora looked at her watch. “Just before eight. We have time.”

“Good,” Catra said, yawning again. “I’ll get Finn up while you make breakfast.”

“Do we get to shower first?”

“Of course.”

Adora smiled. “Then it’s a deal.” As Catra shifted, moving to stand up, Adora said, “Wait.”

Catra paused, frowning at her in concern. “What?”

Adora took in the sight of her in the early sunlight. 

Gray was just starting to streak through the thick, dark brown of her hair, and time had worn laugh lines and crows’ feet into her face. Looking at her, at the face she’d loved for decades and would love for decades to come, Adora smiled.

“You get more beautiful every day,” She said, leaning up to kiss her. “You know that?”

Catra blushed, rolling her eyes. “You’re an idiot.”

“I’m right. My wife is a stone-cold ten.” 

Catra let out a snort as she shook her head. “Well, your wife is getting cold. Come take a shower, stupid.”

“I’m right behind you,” Adora said, still smiling softly.

“You promise?” Catra asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Adora knew from years and years of experience that promises, for them, meant something more. Every one was an _I love you_ , was a _stay safe_ , was a _come back soon_ and an _I’m here_ and an _I’ll miss you_. Saying it back was the easiest thing in the world. 

Adora smiled. “I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as a reminder, alex and i are both on tumblr at @adorasheart and @brightbolts respectively :) we would LOVE to hear your thoughts about this final chapter and the work as a whole. thank you guys for reading :)


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